


Shoot and Strike

by Imamultifangirl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bit angsty or bitter, Captain America: Civil War (Movie), F/M, Fantastic Four Cameos, GOSH, I don't care that they're born the same year as me, Marvel Cameos, No Sex, Not Spider-Man: Homecoming Compliant, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Some Fluff, Some kissing and stuff but absolutely no sex, Trans Peter Parker, i don't know what I'm doing right now, maybe even a Stan Lee, plus I can't write smut, they're KIDS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 11:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 84,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9722336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imamultifangirl/pseuds/Imamultifangirl
Summary: When Ava Stark had eaten that fish oil pill, she sure has hell hadn't expected her life to turn that crazy. Well, more crazy than it already was with being Tony Stark's only daughter, that is. Normal girl in high school, a crime fighting Inhuman vigilante when the dark falls. And when living in New York, the chance of meeting a certain web-slinger is rather high, isn't it? Especially when they both have pissed off the same man.





	1. You're Spider-Man, right?

”Dad, seriously, I’ll be fine!” Ava exclaimed and covered her face with both of her hands instead of having to meet her father’s judgmental glare.

”I’ve done this for over a year, and I've never gotten dangerously hurt. Why are you so damn grumpy about it?”

Tony rolled his eyes, before a baby tomato came flying in her direction. Almost more by instinct than consciously, her hand snapped up and snatched the red fruit (yes fruit, not vegetable) before it could splatter in her face.

”See, I could catch the evil tomato without getting hurt,” she stated as she put the tomato in her mouth.

”Thanks, FRIDAY.”

_”You’re welcome, miss.”_

”What about the ATCU then? It was this close,” her dad reminded and showed with his fingers, ”that they began to hunt you down.”

Ava groaned loudly and face palmed as she began to pace around in their enormous living room.

”That was one time, dad! I was reckless and stupid, but it is over now, they don't hunt people like me now! They don't even know who I am,” Ava stated and shook her head.

”And you're the one to talk. Didn't you retire only a year ago, _Iron Man_?”

”I’ve got a freaking suit of metal, you're a fourteen year old kid!” Tony exclaimed exasperated.

Ava groaned loudly and fell down in the couch, why couldn't her dad just nod and say that she had to be careful, just like he always did?

”Dad, I’ll be fifteen in September and I could blast a house like nothing,” Ava protested and huffed.

”Look, I could be the reason why people’s families are alive. If I hadn't been close to that bank, a dozen of civilians would have been dead.”

”Please, I promise, I will be careful, just let me go out,” she pleaded gave her dad the puppy eyes, which she was horrible at.

But it was worth a try.

”Your puppy eyes sucks,” Tony commented but smirked, much to her relief.

”Just promise that you will be careful, kiddo.”

Ava smiled gratefully and went over to hug him quickly as she thanked him a dozens of times before she rushed into her room to what Steve would call ’Suit up.’ For it her it was a completely black catsuit (that could glow) along with a pair of gloves. Perfect for movement, thermal-proof  and rather nice made too. 

For her identity’s sake, Ava and Tony had designed a nano mask that stuck to her face easily and was also easy to remove. 

With the mask that turned her face into a black domino mask and she herself being able to turn her eyes glowing blue, she still couldn't recognize herself in the mirror, even though she had done this for a year.

She wondered if the Daredevil felt the same thing whenever he put on the helmet, if he found it weird to see him in his other persona? 

It probably didn’t, she was sure he’d been doing this crime fighting for years now, and was an adult. 

On the other hand, what did _she_ know about him?

 

”Wow, aren't you daddy’s little lava lamp?” Tony said as she came back from her room while heading for the balcony, making Ava roll her eyes.

”As much as you're my old shellhead,” she replied and went up the stairs where her dad often undressed his Iron Man suit, and had his little catwalks every now and then.

”I’ll see you later.”

Much to her dad’s dismay, Ava jumped off the balcony like a madman and felt the air dance around her body. Before anything bad could happen (like smashing into the pavement and become a bloody pancake) she simply used her weird powers and made her stand on a plate of psychic energy. She must look like an alien right now. Well, more alien than she already was.

And from all of sudden, her phone rang in her pocket on her thigh, which made her groan slightly and turn off her nano mask voice changer before she answered.

”Hiya, Parker,” Ava greeted the second she answered the phone.

_”Hi, just wanted to say that it maybe will be a bit late, you know, gotta clean up in my room and stuff…”_

”Yeah, it’s cool, I just need to run an errand too,” Ava lied while flexing her fingers that sparked slightly as she looked down.

 _”Awesome, glad I won’t be late then,”_ Peter replied on the other line while it sounded like he was surrounded by traffic, where the hell was he?

”Where are you?” Ava questioned as she began to stretch her back while braiding her hair.

 _”It’s just the music. You know what? I need to fix something too, see you later,”_ Peter suddenly said, much to her own confusion.

”Sure, see you at four,” Ava replied and hung up before she put away her phone and turned it back on as she soared down to the streets by shooting out energy, just as she suddenly heard a scream a block away from her. 

”Well, that doesn't sound like Christmas,” she muttered and followed the noise, which lead her to a grocery market.

With ease, she jumped down from the building and landed on the asphalt before she ran into the market.

Luckily for her, the cash register were just thirty feet from her, where she also could see five figures dressed in black surround the cashier, every each one of them carrying either a gun or a baton, along with those silly masks that strongly reminded her of the Avengers. What was it with ’disguising’ themselves as the Avengers all the time?

”Just give us the money and no one will get hurt!” her fake dad yelled at the pale faced cashier nearest to Ava, where also the most of the customers were sprawled on the floor.

Fortunately, no one seemed to have been shot, yet.

”Oh my god, is that you, Hulk?” Ava exclaimed sarcastically as she took a step closer towards them.

”Not to be rude, but I'm more of a Cap fan. Seriously, how could you not have Captain America, when Iron Man is here? He’s not even in the team anymore! I'm so disappointed in you guys.”

Before any of them could react, Ava lashed out on the closest robber and managed to render him unconscious with one punch. 

She did feel rather proud over the fact that she had punched Hulk, before she headed towards ’Thor,’ who was a bit smarter than ’Bruce’ since he actually used his baton. The thing was that the attack was almost ridiculously dumb, like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Even for her —who didn't have any super duper strength— the blow was almost slow, and she wasn't Spider-Man. She had seen him on YouTube, and he was freakishly good at this stuff.

”How is it possible that every fake Thor I meet sucks at hitting stuff?” Ava questioned as she caught the blow singlehandedly and ripped the baton away from ’Thor’ before she swung the thing herself and hit him in the head, hopefully not too hard. 

Two down, three to go, and one of them was holding a gun. 

She had encountered guns before, dealing with robberies wasn't that new to her. A bullet in a non vital organ took perhaps a month or a little more to heal enough for her to function, but it wasn't fun.

The next two robbers that were disguised as Rhodey (nice change for once) and Vision (even more change, she was impressed) came charging at her while her fake dad was yelling at the poor cashier to hurry up. 

”I seriously don't want to hurt you,” Ava stated and dropped the baton on the floor before she jumped up ten feet in the air and landed behind them, much to their confusion.

”But you're dicks, so I think some headaches won’t hurt too much.”

A few moments later, she had both disarmed and knocked them out, but had still gotten a hard hit in the side.

”Stop right there! Or I’ll shoot him!” ’Iron Man’ yelled at her as he held the cashier in a choke hold with the gun only a few inches from his head.

”Nobody will call the police, or you’ll be scraping brains off the wall!”

Ava growled at the robber lowly as she tried to move closer towards him without that he noticed. What else could she do? She couldn't exactly go all Wanda and levitate away the gun from his hand and she didn't want to risk hurting the cashier either, which she would if she tried to attack. 

From all of sudden, something shot out from nowhere and yanked away the gun from the robber, before a red and blue figure appeared and kicked ’Iron Man’ in the face.

”Oh sorry! My bad!” he said sarcastically and gave Ava the chance to run over and fetch the cashier as Spider-Man was webbing up the robber.

”Hey, did he hurt you?” Ava questioned kindly as she gently led him to the rest of the civilians.

The cashier shook his head before he looked at her and widened his eyes.

”You’re Strike!” he breathed out stunned, which she simply smiled at.

”The one and only,” she joked and checked the rest of the people if any one of them had any visible wounds.

One guy seemed to have been knocked down but woken up again, the big blue bruise on his forehead was a rather big clue, after all.

Perhaps she could ask someone to call an ambulance, using her own phone was too risky.

”Can someone call an ambulance and the police?” she questioned.

By the time she had made sure everyone was all right, Ava turned back to the robbers, where most of them were already bound, only ’Bruce’ was still unbound, which Spider-Man was taking care of.

”Nice glasses,” Ava commented and nodded towards his outfit, which was basically a red and blue one-piece suit with a pair of black goggles.

Used to cover up his identity, or maybe something enhanced? 

As an Inhuman, she had had a hard time adjusting to the fact that she could generate psionic energy, which meant that she technically could blow up the entire store or burn through a person.

”Says Glow stick ,” Spider-Man replied and snorted.

Ava huffed insulted and crossed her arms.

”You’re the newbie, huh?” she questioned as her eyes roamed his body quickly.

Maybe six or seven inches taller than her, but that was the only thing she could get from him, the suit made it slightly harder to see his figure, unlike her own, which was skin tight. 

Although his voice didn't sound like an adult or a kid, so he was probably around her own age. Had she heard that voice before? It sounded awfully familiar, but that was simply ridiculous. No one in her school could be Spider-Man, that was simply impossible.

”I’m not a newbie, I’ve been doing this for half a year now,” he protested while Ava could feel the civilians’ eyes on them.

”Sweetheart, I have been here for a year,” she replied and smirked before she began to gather up the robbers in one place.

”You didn't kill them, right?” Spider-Man questioned wearily and gestured to the fake Vision and Rhodey.

”I mean, you seem like a really cool person, but if you're killing people, then we can’t have tea parties together—”

”No, of course I didn't kill them, I'm not a savage,” Ava stated and snorted.

”I simply punched them. Honestly, what did you actually think of me?”

”Then I gotta say, glowing powers are awesome,” he admitted.

”Thanks, I guess spider powers are awesome too,” she replied with a smirk before she glanced at the clock on the wall and froze.

15.00, how could the time be 15.00? This was unbelievable, and she still had to change into her normal clothes.

”I gotta go. Maybe I’ll see you another time, Spidey,” Ava said and winked before she walked out of the store and lunged herself up in the air.

 

”How did it go?” her dad wondered as Ava basically burst into the top floor through the open window and rushed to the shower as she ripped off her mask and turned her eyes normal.

Five minutes later, she ran out in only a towel to her room, where she tossed everything she needed in her backpack before she slung it over her shoulder and flew out (not literally.)

”See you, Dad!” she called before she closed the door behind her and ran as fast as she could without getting weird glances from people.

In times like these, Ava often considered simply blowing a part of her cover and begin to run like hell, until she was reminded of the vigilante status she had gotten from some people. 

What else had they expected her to do with her powers then? Become a human battery? That was just stupid.

Fifteen minutes later, she was just outside Peter’s apartment, where she had been a couple of times, being his study buddy and all.

”Ava, hi!” May greeted her with a hug, Ava loved her hugs.

And she had a nice scent, sort of mother-ish and soft.

”Peter’s on his room.”

Ava smiled slightly as she made her way to Peter’s room and knocked carefully before she opened the door. To her surprise, she found Peter stand in only a pair of jeans while seemingly trying to find his shirt.

”Oh god, I'm so sorry!” she exclaimed and immediately looked somewhere else that wasn't his naked torso.  
”No, it’s cool. Or, uh, I mean, not that I w-wanted you to see me, but—” Peter stuttered as Ava spotted a shirt on his bed.

”Looking for this?” she wondered and lifted up a t-shirt from his bed, it was really a miracle he hadn't seen it yet.

”Oh, thanks,” Peter said before she tossed it over to him while she wondered how he’d become so shredded in such a short time.

Even though they only had known each other for only a year, she was 100% sure that he hadn't been that muscular for that long. 

”Sorry for barging in, I thought you were dressed,” Ava apologized and sat down in the bed, with Peter quickly following, and accidentally hitting her in the side, which made her wince slightly.

Somehow, his elbow had found its way to the place where she’d been hit by either fake Rhodey or fake Vision. Ava immediately tried to hide the discomfort and slight pain, which her friend immediately noticed.

”Hey, you okay?” Peter wondered concerned as Ava carefully touched the area and could only wince.

”Ugh, it’s okay, I think I only walked into something,” she stated and lifted up a small piece of her tank top to check.

And there it was, a blue and green discoloring that spread over her waist. It definitely looked worse than it actually was, given the fact that it would probably fade within a few days.

”I still don't get how you manage to get bruises all the time,” Peter stated and shook his head.

You have no idea, Ava thought as Peter was looking around for his books to their group project.

”You’re not the only one,” she joked as she fished out a notebook along with pencil and eraser.

”So… What famous person in science shall we write about?”

”I think I have some ideas, I'm not sure if they are very good, but…” Peter began as he drummed on the book with his fingers, which Ava had noticed was something he did automatically.

”Maybe Howard Stark?” he suggested, which made Ava raise her eyebrow while wondering if he was serious.

Not only was he more of an engineer, but also her deceased grandfather whom her father rarely talked about. Hadn't he recently visited a place and talked about her grandparents? Something about the B. A. R. F.  she believed, which still was a terrible acronym.

Seeing her expression, Peter blushed and raked his hand through his hair nervously.

”Sorry, I was just joking, because I know that he’s your grandpa,” he apologized with Ava waving away his apology.

”Nah, it’s cool, I just thought that you didn't know that he was also a scientist,” Ava stated and smirked.

”But how about Bruce Banner? I mean, the info about him is quite easy to get, and most people will think about Hulk instead of something else,” Peter stated, making her shrug.

”Sure, why not?” Ava stated while amusingly remembering the time when Bruce had lived with both her and Tony after the Battle of New York.

It also had been good for her dad, who finally had been able to talk normally instead of dumbing it down for people all the time. Ava may have inherited some of  her father’s genius intellect, but given the fact that he was older than her, he did have much more knowledge than she had.

”So… What more do you know about Banner than ’Hulk smash’?”


	2. The Sokovia...What?

”Let me guess, you'll write your assignment about me, won’t you?” her dad asked her over eighteen hours later while he was mixing together a green smoothie.

Ava snorted as she flipped around in her history book because of that goddamn test she almost had forgotten about, which they would have tomorrow. Not that she couldn’t do it, she just always felt a bit nervous before a test, even if she was a Stark.

”Nah, Peter wanted to write about grandpa, but we are writing about Bruce instead, mostly because it’s nice to read stuff about him that isn't about Hulk all the time,” she replied and received a glass of healthy smoothie from her father as she flipped page.

”I miss Bruce. I wish Hulk could send a snap with him sunbathing at some beach in the Bahamas. And where the hell would Bruce shave? I mean, imagine the Big guy with a beard.”

”I prefer not to,” Tony replied and shuddered before he took a deep gulp of green smoothie that tasted like apple and ginger.

”Speaking of assignment things, you're working with Parker, right?”

”Yeah, how so?” she questioned and tilted her head slightly while suspecting her father’s question.

”He seems nice,” he began and made her roll her eyes.

”Dad, you haven't even met the guy. And I promise, we don’t d—”

”You wanna go to the Facility today?” her father suddenly asked her.

Ava raised her eyebrow in the middle of her drinking liquid ginger and looked at her  father surprised over the sudden shift. When had been the last time he had been to the Facility? A month? More or less? Not that she complained, it was just surprising. On the other hand, her dad had just lost Pepper very recently, who’d been a part of their family for years. Even though she hadn't been Ava’s birth mother (because she was damn sure on that she didn't get covered in stone by eating fish pills) Pepper had been like a mom to her. 

Especially when it had come to crime fighting.

”Sure,” Ava replied and shrugged before she downed the rest of her smoothie and rose to fix the last of her morning ritual, which consisted in teeth brushing, makeup applying and hair brushing.

”Yeah, I’ll see you there,” Tony told and hung up as Ava opened the door to his orange car and got inside.

”Who was it?” she questioned while her father drove out from the garage as AC/DC screamed right into her ears, much to her annoyance.

”Thaddeus Ross, you know, the secretary guy,” he replied simply while Ava tried to turn down volume.

 _”Sorry, miss. Your father wants to keep this volume,”_ FRIDAY apologized and made Ava roll her eyes while her dad was grinning gleefully at her.

”No worries, FRIDAY,” Ava stated and watched Tony confused.

”Why were you talking to Ross, and has this something to do with me going to the Facility?”

Tony snorted but didn't reply with anything, much to Ava’s suspicion.

”Dad…”

”Look, it will be fine, I will tell Ross to make some exceptions,” he began and began to ramble on about politics, which of course did not satisfy Ava’s curiosity.

”What the hell are you talking about?” Ava questioned. 

”And what do you mean with Sokovia Accords? Look, I may have a genius brain like you do, but I'm not a politician. So, could you please tell me everything but in English?”

To her surprise, her dad didn't give you the dumbass-look, which he often gave her when she said something stupid and obvious. But he didn’t. Instead, he simply sighed and leaned back in his seat while Ava was trying to figure out what he meant by everything he’d said.

”Ross will explain everything, I promise,” Tony said before he began to sing along to Highway to Hell, leaving Ava with her own thoughts and theories.

Accords? Sokovia Accords? Some kind of accords she was involved with, along with the Avengers? What the hell did they have in common except that all of them knew Tony and were superheroes, sort of? Ava was still considered a vigilante by the Daily Bugle, superhero is not what they would call her.

She’d no idea how long she could keep things up without anyone she knew (except her dad) would find out. And if that happened, the risk of more powerful baddies trying to kick her ass would rise immensely, being both a Stark and an Inhuman, which some people still didn't like, even though they’d been around for a year.

”God, I've missed this place,” Ava mumbled as she rose out of the car and immediately let her senses roam around freely.

”Incoming,” Ava muttered as she spotted another car approach them, a black car that reminded her a lot of those she could see on the news.

And coming out from that car was Ross and his assistant, who was bearing a bunch of papers, much to her suspicion. Could those be what her father had called the Sokovia Accords?

”Mr. Stark,” Ross greeted her father as he extended his hand for him.

”Secretary Ross.”

”Secretary,” Ava said stiffly and shook his hand quickly while feeling his eyes on her.

”Miss Stark, I will be delighted to hear why your father wanted you here on this meeting later,” Ross told her, making Ava smile politely.

”As do I,” she replied, but fortunately, the secretary didn't seem to have heard it.  

”Dad, what the hell is he talking about?” Ava hissed to her father as they made their way to the entrance.

”You’re deemed as a vigilante by the government, kiddo. So, I thought that, if you just told him about everything, you could get rid off the worst guys that might be after you,” Tony said casually while he seemed to be slightly nervous anyway, much to her shock.

”What?” she exclaimed as they got to the living room, where most of the Avengers already were, except Steve and Wanda.

”You’ll understand, I promise,” he said as they sat down in one of the chairs behind the Avengers’ table, just as both Steve and Wanda arrived to take their seats too.

At first, Ross rambled on about his heart attack, which Ava simply let slide past her brain since it didn't really matter to her. He was alive after all.

”The world owes the Avengers a un-payable debt. You've... fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives,” he began, which sounded good in her ears, _too_ good to be true.

Why else would Ross be here? Not to talk about the obvious, she was sure of that.

”While a great many people see you as heroes. There are some… who would prefer the word vigilantes.”

And there it came. Wasn't that the word people would call her too? But wasn't she a vigilante, technically? It wasn't like she worked for NYPD or the government. Why would she? The chance of her abilities being abused by either of them was freakishly high.

”And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?” Natasha questioned.

”How about dangerous?” Ross said, making Ava’s gut sink.

”What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals, who routinely ignores sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind them.”

Suddenly, a screen popped up with the world map, where the first place it zoomed into was New York.

”New York,” Ross mumbled as a footage of the Battle of New York was shown.

Ava swallowed deeply, she remembered that day, and the battle had occurred just after she had come home, which had led to her finding a hole in space just above her home, a city attacked by aliens and monsters, and her dad along with the rest of the Avengers fighting those aliens. 

Her gut sank even further down when she saw the death toll; 74 people.

”Washington DC.”

Another footage, this time of the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. where people had drowned after the Helicarriers’ crash into the water. Ava could still recall that she had felt sick when she’d found out that her name had been on what Steve had called ’Project Insight,’ which would’ve eliminated people HYDRA had seen as a threat to then. Casualties; 23.

”Sokovia.”  
One of the more recent events, with a city that would have erased all life on Earth, and had been a week before her Terrigenesis. 

Casualties; 177.

Ava cast a glance at her father, who seemed to have stopped looking at the screen while still looking slightly paler than before. She couldn't forget all those times he’d barged into her room, only to check that she was still there, in the middle of the night.

”Lagos.”

And there it was, the most recent event that had made Ava look at the screen with a stone forming inside her stomach, not only because of the casualties (26) but also because of herself. What if she used too much force in her hits? What if she accidentally let loose and ended up killing people instead of saving them? It was one thing with being ruled by agencies, but being controlled by her own powers was almost just as frightening.

 _Almost_.

”Okay. That's enough,” Steve suddenly spoke up, making Ava look up from the floor, only to see Wanda look horrified over what they had witnessed.

Sometimes Ava forgot that she wasn't the only one with dangerous abilities.

”For the past 4 years, you operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution,” Ross explained as he was handed the huge block of papers and gave them to Wanda.

”The Sokovia accords. Approved by 117 countries. It states, that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations Panel, only when and if that Panel deems it necessary.”

Was this her father’s solution? Signing her on some deal that made her the government’s bitch? He must have lost his mind, especially if those Accords also were for the Inhumans, which they probably were. Ava didn't want to imagine that list of enhanced people getting into the wrong hands, she’d heard enough from Steve about such things.

”The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that,” Steve spoke up, making Ava want to pat his shoulder gratefully.

”Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?” Ross questioned. 

”If I misplaced a couple of 30 mega tonne nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground.”

”So, there are contingencies?” Rhodey said while Ava was still trying to figure out why her dad wanted to her to sign on those things.

”Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords. So, talk it over.”

”And if we come to a decision you don't like?” Natasha asked while Tony nudged on Ava, as if he wanted her to rise up.

”Then you retire,” Ross stated and gestured to Ava to rise up, much to her dismay.

”Miss Stark, if you could come over here.”

Ava cast a concerned at her dad, who simply nodded and gave her a small assuring smile, which she didn't find assuring at all. But with a huge mental sigh, she got up from the chair and positioned herself on the other side of the table, which was between Sam and Steve.

”Miss Stark, can you tell us why your father has decided to even bring you here to this meeting?” he questioned as everyone’s eyes were on her.

Ava took a deep breath and slowly let it out, cast a glance at Tony, who nodded slightly, at Rhodey, who looked like he wondered why the hell she was here, and at Ross, who waited for her to talk.

”Well, you’ve heard about the Inhumans, right?” Ava began as she could feel her blood spark with energy.

”The part aliens who have haunted the news these months, and popped up last summer? Also, for around a year ago, New York received a new vigilante. A person who could create blue energy constructs. They began to call her Strike.”

Ava couldn't believe that she was holding a speech about herself in front of the whole Avengers, that she was actually revealing this to the government, even though she herself believed that there would be consequences that she wouldn't like. But if her father believed in it, maybe they weren't _too_ bad.

”Well, for some reason, I'm here to tell you that this person isn't hard to find. In fact, you're looking at her right now,” Ava told and made her hands burn with electric blue psionic energy.

With the secretary’s expression, she immediately stopped and tried to not look the rest of the Avengers in the eye. 

”I guess that’s my little party trick,” she stated before she returned to her seat beside her dad while the others were watching her stunned.

Seconds later, both Ross and his assistant made their way towards the exit, with Ross casting one last look at them all.

”Three days,” he muttered before both he and his assistant left.

The silence seemed to go on for ages, the time stretching out like hard toffee. There was times like this Ava wished for her dad to say something funny and icebreaking, but no one said anything, not even Rhodey, whom she had known since forever.

Luckily, Steve finally broke the ice (whom she actually hadn't expected to do it) much to Ava’s relief.

”Except on what we have heard on the news, do you know something more about the Inhumans?” he asked, making Ava nod.

”Yeah, with the help of some contacts, we finally found out more, actually,” she stated and decided to not mention Maria Hill’s name for this time.

”The Inhumans were failed experiments by the Kree, a race of intelligent aliens who were fighting a war and needed bioweapons. The genes for Inhumans were passed down for generations and could be activated through a process called Terrigenesis, which is a rather nasty one and took minutes to clean up.”

Not that she didn't trust the Avengers, she had known most of them for years now, it was just strange to talk about her heritage and history just like that, when she hadn't talked about it to anyone but her dad.

Just after her little speech, civil war broke out in the room.

 

”Dad, how the hell is exposing myself a good idea? There's no logic in this,” Ava stated as they came home a few hours later, with the Tower being eerily quiet. 

”You said that Ross would explain everything, but he just nodded and muttered about three days. And what exceptions did _you_ talk about but Ross didn't even _mention_?” 

”I talked with Ross about secret identities and stuff. And since you're my daughter and I’m Iron Man, the secretary agreed on that you don't have to reveal your identity to anyone but Ross and parts of the government, on the condition that I kept an eye on you, so you don't mess around and decapitate people,” Tony stated and poured himself a whiskey, much to her dismay, and not only because of the smell. 

Her dad had had a drinking problem from way back, but ever since Pepper had left them, those glasses of booze had increased slightly. Ava remembered finding Tony by the dining table with a large bottle while mumbling to himself. She had taken Tony to the bathroom and let her father throw up in the toilet for a few minutes as he mumbled on about nothing. That hadn't been fun, especially since he was her dad. She had even ordered FRIDAY to keep an eye on him for the rest of the night, especially if he had neared the bar. 

”But I have to sign on the Accords?” Ava asked while she herself grabbed an apple.

”Yeah,” Tony confirmed and took a sip of it like the liquor was water.

”I promise, your crime fighting will be easier, cops won’t run around after you…”  
”But I have to become their bitch, right?” Ava interrupted and raised her eyebrow before she took a bite of her apple.

”Dad, this is insane. I'm not an Avenger, I'm just the gal who helps people to get back their laptops or punches robbers. Why would I need oversight?”

”You’re still part alien, Ava. What if aliens come down here, just like last time, and they somehow make you become _their_ bitch? If the government wouldn't know who you are, they would blow you to pieces,” her dad stated and scowled.

”Look, we still got three days to talk about this, I promise, it will be okay.”

 ”Fine,” Ava mumbled and went into her room, only to come back in full Strike outfit.

”As long as I don't have to wear a label.”


	3. YouTube

”You wanna get a ride to school?”

Ava raised her eyebrow in the middle of her eating breakfast and looked at her father surprised. Tony Stark giving his daughter a ride to school was… Unusual. She often took the train or the buss.

”Yeah, thanks,” Ava replied and shrugged before she went back to her room to get her stuff.

A couple of minutes later, they arrived to the school in the car that could drive without a driver. She loved that car.

”You sure you don't want me to drop you off closer?” Tony asked Ava in the very eye-catching, very orange car that made some people throw glances at them.

If it was because of Tony or the car, she would never know.

”No, definitely not, it’s enough with one Stark in the school, two Starks will make the school go crazy,” Ava joked and cast a glance at her watch, good, twenty minutes left.

”Also, granddad is on the wall with Erskine.”

”Yeah, I know,” her father stated and rolled his eyes as Ava picked up her backpack before she opened the door.

”Give grandpa a kiss from me.”

”No thanks,” Ava replied and snorted as she began to head to the school.

”See you after school, Dad.”

The backyard of the school wasn’t so filled with people, which was relieving since she hated to feel people’s eyes on her, it was enough as it was with her being considered as Stark number three. It also helped with how quiet it actually was, it was peaceful for once.

And that peacefulness died out the second she opened the door to the school, and got replaced by the usual noise of people she soon had grown to ignore, like an annoying fly that you just couldn't swat away without killing it. 

Because she would be pretty damn screwed if she killed that fly.

Ava made her way through the crowd of people as she herself went for her locker, where she also spotted Peter and his friend Ned, whom she didn't know that much, except that he was Peter’s friend, of course. And Harry Osborn was nowhere to be seen, where was he now again?

”Morning,” she greeted both of them cheerfully as she was locking up her locker. ”Morning,” Peter replied with a little smile as Ava began to take out her stuff for the lesson.

”Morning, Ava!” Ned said a bit too loudly, earning a few weird glances from the people closest to them.

”Please say I'm not the only one who hasn't studied much for the history test,” Ava said and laughed slightly as they began to make their way to the classroom, which was often guarded by the vulture ms Tate.

Not only did she look like a vulture, she also watched one intently as if she waited for one’s death and her meal. Fortunately, she seemed to be away for something else, probably to consume an unfortunate student who was close to a breakdown.

So of course, Ava took the seat beside her friend Mary Jane, who was chatting with the rest of the girls about something that Ava could recognize a lot.

”What’s going on?” she wondered as she began to put up everything on her seat, books, pencils, you name it.

Liz took up her phone and went in on YouTube before handing it over to Ava, who took it carefully, wouldn't be a good idea to accidentally drop one of the most popular girls’ phone. 

The video was obviously filmed from a civilian’s perspective inside the store when the robbers had barged in and begun to demand money, which had also been the time when Ava had arrived. 

She had to say, with those clothes and that mask, no one would be able to recognize her unless they knew exactly how her body was shaped. Because no one would be able to know her voice, it was too distant.

 _”But you're dicks, so I think some headaches won’t hurt too much,”_ YouTube Strike stated just before the robbers ran towards her with batons and fists.

YouTube Strike quickly dodged the hits from both of them and was the next second on the other robber’s shoulder before she hit him with a blast and made him pass out. When watching everything on a phone, the whole scene seemed to go so much slower than in real life. Had she been that slow? Or was it simply Ava who thought so? Maybe her friends thought that it went super fast.

Fake Vision picked up the other baton just as Strike hit him in his face, with a blast of energy, again.

Maybe she shouldn't have done that to him.

The girls seemed to have thought the same thing, since both Liz, Sally and Mary Jane looked quite terrified over what Strike on the clip had done.

”Did she just kill them?” Sally asked horrified and pointed at the knocked out robbers in the background while fake Iron Man was holding the cashier as a hostage on the clip.

Maybe she should defend her alter ego, having a couple of people frightened was not a thing she wanted. Ava wanted people to feel safe on the streets, not to be afraid of her when she was trying to help. It didn't help with Jameson publishing bullshit about her in the Daily Bugle, he surely was crying in joy over the Accords right now.

”No, I don't think she killed him, he’s still breathing,” Ava stated carefully and pointed at the unconscious fake Avengers lying on the floor while Strike was still figuring out how to get rid of her fake dad without getting the cashier’s brains blown out.

It was sad that she couldn't levitate stuff like Wanda. Why couldn't she just have gotten telekinesis?

”Plus, wouldn't someone have mentioned that Strike had killed someone?”

”True,” Liz admitted and widened her eyes when Spider-Man arrived and fought the fake Iron Man while Strike was helping the cashier to safety.

”I’ve never seen those two together, but what a cool team!” Mary Jane stated, making Liz nod in agreement.

”It would be awesome to see them both, don't you think?”

”Do you think they know each other?” Liz wondered just as Strike on the clip began to comment Spider-Man’s suit.

”Nah, she’s criticizing him now,” Ava stated and rolled her eyes when Spidey replied with human glowing stick.

”She’s been doing this for a year now? It felt like it was yesterday,” Mary Jane told and grinned.

”I wish I could be a superhero too,” Sally told and sighed dreamily as the clip ended, and the lesson began.

”Dunno, seems like hard work,” Liz said as she and Sally took the seats beside them.

”Yeah, probably,” Ava agreed.

But it was worth it.

 

”I think I sort of nailed the test, at least it doesn't feel like I sucked,”Ava stated on her and Peter’s way home from school, twirling her headphones between her finger and thumb.

”What about you?”

Peter shrugged as he seemed to search after something on his phone, his face scrunching with concentration, which Ava found a bit cute, actually.

”I don't know, I think it went well, maybe I failed at the last question, uh, by the way, what was the name of that song you mentioned again?” Peter wondered as he stumbled on his words again, making Ava raise her eyebrow confused at him.

”I listen to a lot of music, Peter. Be specific,” she told and smiled at him kindly.

”You know, that, uh, god, what’s the song’s name again? That one of alt-J?” Peter said as he stumbled even more on his words, which she had to admit was a bit cute.

But she did understand what he meant, and was not surprised when heard it, he liked that kind of music.

”You mean Left Hand Free?” Ava asked and received his phone to quickly find the song.

”That one is awesome.”

”Thanks,” Peter told as they went off the train before they began to discuss more about some theories on how Steve’s serum had been created.

”Hey, did you hear about what happened last Saturday?” Peter asked her, making her tilt her head slightly.

”The robbery at the store?” Ava asked him and nodded as she tried to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

”Do you mean when Spider-Man arrived to the scene and Strike commented his glasses? Yeah, I've heard about it, saw the video today.”

Peter raised his eyebrows at her while giving her the really?-look, which she could translate as ’dude.’ She was certainly the only one who found it amusing with his glasses. Maybe because the other people around her or the ones watching the videos with Spider-Man or Strike didn't care much about suits, probably since they were more worried about other things.

Although Ava shouldn't judge Spider-Man too much when it came to his costume, maybe he had had a harder time finding a suit for his powers while her own had been quite easy. The only thing she had needed to worry about had been keeping her clothes from burning up.

”But the glowing thing? Spider-Man had a point about that,” Peter stated and smiled slightly, which Ava couldn't disagree at.

She did look like that in her suit, but she liked it, it was even funnier when she wanted to glow in the dark like a real glowing stick.

”Do you think that Spider-Man is a newbie, even though he's been out for six months?”

Ava shrugged, to be honest, she had only said that to Spidey just because, a bit arrogant maybe, but she had gone with the flow, especially since fighting a couple of robbers had given her a dose of endorphins. She should probably apologize to Spider-Man when she met him again.

”Maybe he’s not as experienced as Daredevil or the Avengers, but he’s probably as good as Strike,” Ava admitted as she rounded up.

”How about finishing that assignment on Friday?”

”Yeah, sounds good,” Peter told before they bid each other a ’see you later’.

As she walked over the street, a grey little car soared past her and almost hit her, much to her annoyance. But as she saw the ongoing traffic before that car, along with the police car chasing the thing, she doubted one of them would make it out safely.

Ava quickly looked around before she ran into a dark alley to strip off her normal clothes and put on her suit and mask. The second she was sure that no one could recognize her, she darted out from the alley and glanced at the police car in front of her, they would be too slow to stop that car, especially if the driver was reckless. 

Realizing that she never would be able to reach the vehicle in time on foot (how the hell would she, it was a freaking car) she pushed herself from the ground, soaring in the air before she landed onto the back of the car. By the time she had gotten a grip in the metal, she slammed her hand with the help of an energy dagger right through the vehicle to kill the engine.

By the time she had stopped the car, the police car had already arrived with the hand cuffs.

”Let’s see,” Ava mumbled and let go of the car before she walked over to the driver’s seat and opened the door, revealing a man with a large bag of money beneath himself.

”I’m not entirely sure that money belongs to you, sir,” she stated and dragged him out of the car before the police arrested him.

After Ava had checked that she was no longer needed, she jumped up in the air and flew back to the alley with her bag, which thankfully was still there.

While she changed, she immediately began to wonder if it would have been easier with Spider-Man’s webs, she had seen videos of him catching cars after all.

Maybe, maybe not, but she had to do.

 

 _”Good afternoon, miss,”_ FRIDAY greeted her as Ava got out of the elevator with her hair slightly messy after the short car chase.

”Hey, FRIDAY. What’s up?” Ava said as she walked into her room to dump her bag on the floor, as usual.

_”Your father would like to see you in the lab.”_

Ava frowned confused and slightly (more than slightly) concerned. Her dad in the lab? Wanting her to come down? Did he need her to be his power source again?

”Do I need to bring an extinguisher?” Ava wondered suspiciously.

_”No, there’s no need to bring anything at all with you.”_

”Okay, tell him that I'm will be down in two seconds,” she replied and rose up to get down to the lab.

Surprisingly, she found no explosions or anything out of the ordinary. Well, it was extraordinary to find anything ordinary.

”Dad? FRIDAY sent me down here, what’s wrong?” Ava asked carefully as she made her way to him leaning against one of the desks.

Once again, she found a glass of liquor beside her father, which made her consider to smack it down on the floor.

”Aunt Peg is gone,” Tony mumbled hoarsely, making Ava widen her eyes.

”No, not Peg,” she said and shook her head as it felt like her gut was flipped upside down.

”It was in her sleep. I guess she’s in a better place now,” he stated, but didn't sound convincing at all.

”Shut up, dad. I know you don't believe in that,” Ava reminded him as she felt the tears well up in her eyes.

Unlike most of the times this happened, she didn't try to hide them or joke them away, not with her dad. It was enough that he sometimes tried to conceal his emotions in front of her, Ava wouldn't begin to do it too.

”I know Peg was like family to you,” Ava told as she felt that stone in her gut grow even more.

”These last years… She called me Howard,” he croaked out.

”Aunt Peg couldn't recognize me anymore…”

That sentence, those words, his face, everything about her dad made Ava’s heart break inside her chest. She hated seeing her dad in pain, and there wasn't much she could do about it.

”I’m sorry,” Ava whispered as she was pulled into a hard hug, with Tony’s chin resting on her head, his exhales of air indicating more of what he’d shown.

Because Peggy was gone, just like Pepper.


	4. Don't you trust me?

They flew to London the day after, not only to visit Peggy’s family the day before the funeral, but also because Ava knew her father needed to get away from the Tower for a while.

She just hoped that he wouldn't visit every pub they walked past.

”Dad, you okay?” Ava mumbled inside the church, waiting for the pallbearers to arrive with the coffin, which Peggy was inside.

Not that Peggy hadn't been old when she had died, it was just strange to bear the knowledge that she actually was gone. Ava had known that woman since her birth, and despite her getting Alzheimer’s four years ago, she had still tried to go to DC to visit her grandpa’s old friend. The problem had only been that Peggy still had believed that she had been Howard’s daughter, especially when she had gone with her dad.

”Yeah, I'm fine, kiddo,” Tony muttered and planted a small kiss on Ava’s forehead before they rose up to watch to the coffin being placed by the altar.

Not to her surprise, Ava found Steve being one of the pallbearers of Peggy’s coffin, making her heart clench inside her. Just because she wasn't as close to Steve didn't it mean that she couldn't feel the raw pain seeping out from him like a fresh blood. What she wanted to do was to reach out and hug him to keep him from crying, but she was a kid. Steve needed an equal, not a fifteen year old child.

”And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter, to come up and say a few words,” the priest announced after everyone had sat down, including Steve, whom she could spot only a row in front of her and Tony.

Ava was a hundred percent sure she hadn't seen a Sharon Carter yesterday, but she leaned back slightly and waited for her to speak.

”Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S. H. I. E. L. D.  But I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But, it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related,” she told, which did make a lot of sense, and was certainly something Ava herself could relate to.

She hadn't build a motorcycle engine when she had been seven, she hadn't even graduated yet. Hell, Ava was still in high school and was mostly referred to as ’Tony Stark’s daughter.’ Not that she minded her own dad’s success, it just got tiresome to live in an ironclad shadow. 

But shouldn't she be happy? She was lucky that Tony hadn't become arrogant enough to compare his life with her own, he was more of the supportive dad who actually helped her with the stuff. Unlike Howard, who’d compared Tony’s inventions to the Super Soldier all the time.

”I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage at a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said,”Compromise when you can. Where you can’t, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move. It is your duty, to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say,’No… you move.’””

Even if Sharon Carter’s speech had nothing to do with the Accords, something inside of Ava sparked.

No, it was something else. It was that little spark that she immediately could recognize; defiance. Ava didn’t like the Accords, they felt like a leash around her neck that she willingly would put on. And if she would put one toe out of the line, then she’d be screwed. She couldn't sign them, it was just absurd, they were wrong. How the hell was she supposed to sign them today? After three days of thinking and two hundred pages.

She cast a glance at her father, who was looking down on the floor as the rest of the funeral went on. How would she be able to not sign the Accords, when her father was the biggest supporter of it?

 

”Dad? Can I talk with you?” she asked Tony as they came back to the Tower, who looked at her for a second before he gestured with his hand for her to sit down.

”What’s on your mind, kiddo?”

Ava drew in a deep breath of air and let it out while she tried to formulate her words so they didn't sound _that_ bad. 

And god, she would fail so hard.

”I don't think I can sign on the Accords,” she mumbled, which immediately made her father’s face drop slightly, much to her guilt.

”Is it because they came from all of sudden?” Tony asked her concerned while Ava just wanted her own dad to punch her in the face instead of being himself.

Disagreeing with her dad could be worse than disagreeing with anyone else, because he almost always put it on himself.

”Look, I can ask Ross if we can extend your thinking time, I promise. I just need to—”

”No, please don’t. I just… I can’t sign them, at all. They’re just…” Ava began and trailed off.

Wrong. A too tight collar around her neck. A huge eye that would watch her all the time. A label on her forehead that classified her as dangerous.

”They just feel wrong,” she finally said and crossed her arms slowly.

Tony sighed loudly and pulled his eyebrows together in a rather tired and annoyed way, which Ava didn't take as a good sign.

”Sometimes I wonder if you are mine or Cap’s kid,” Tony stated and rolled his eyes.

”I wouldn't say that the Accords are perfect, but they are better than being persecuted as a criminal.”

From all of sudden, Ava could feel her fingers twitch and spark, which she quickly tried to hide.

”Do you think I'm a criminal, dad?” she questioned lowly.

”No, of course not, Ava. But that’s not the way the government sees it—” Tony began before she interrupted him.

”I have saved lives! Not a goddamn time have I ever killed _anyone_ , and I haven't planned to do that either! And yet, the UN deems me as vicious if I don't sign on those goddamned papers and become their bitch,” Ava snapped and made her father glare at her.

”Do you think I'm their bitch?” he implied with a dangerous undertone.

”Yeah, I do,” Ava growled.

”Have you even _read_ what they want to do with the Inhumans who sign on? We have to give out DNA samples and fingerprints, only to then be ranked in how dangerous we are, and how they should put us down if we would do anything wrong. And if you missed it, they want all of the Inhumans —including me— who sign to wear tracking bracelets. Because they don't trust my people for a fucking second!”

”You’re aliens, of course you can’t be trusted!” Tony yelled at her, making her freeze and look at her father expressionlessly.

Didn't he trust her? Just because she was an Inhuman? 

Tony’s expression softened as he seemed to have realized what he just had said to her.

”Ava, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it—”

Without another word, Ava rose up from the sofa and left her father alone in the living room as she blinked back the tears that were forcing themselves up in her eyes.


	5. Pigeon

”So… Where’s your dad now again?” MJ wondered two hours later after Ava had barged in with a bag filled with clothes and red rimmed eyes.

”Berlin, something about signing on the Accords and stuff,” Ava mumbled and twisted around in the mattress beside her friend.

”And you fought because Tony went to Germany? What do you have against Germany?” MJ joked and made Ava snort.

”No, definitely not, I like Germany,” she stated and shrugged.

”It’s just… Am I the only one who doesn't like the Accords?”

Well, certainly not. Both Steve and Sam had already been arrested because of them. And the fact that they had protected the Winter Soldier after the bombing in Vienna, which she still hadn't known much about.

”Well… I have nothing against the Accords, it’s not like I'm very affected by them, since I'm not an Avenger or a superhero in general, but I can understand that you are affected,” MJ told.  
For a second, Ava believed that her friend actually did know about her, until Ava mentally slapped herself for believing that, how the hell would MJ even find out? Ava had been careful with covering up her disappearances and why she had gotten late so many times, at basically had become instinct nowadays. And it wasn't like MJ had been anywhere Ava had been while being Strike, at least not somewhere near her.

”I mean, your dad is freaking Iron Man, and he has saved the world at least twice now, along with the Avengers. According to me, those casualties weren't their fault, they were the aliens and the robots’ fault.”  
_’Peace in our time’_ still echoed in her mind, with her father and Bruce working for days to create the perfect peace keeping program, which had ended up becoming a murder machine instead.

”Same thing with what happened to Scarlet Witch. I mean, she doesn't seem like a person who would kill just because? Or am I wrong?”  
No, she wasn't wrong, Wanda would never have wanted it to happen. But Ava didn't say anything about Wanda.

”No, I don't think she would either. Even though she is one of the new ones, Scarlet Witch seems like a good person,” Ava stated and didn't use her real name, since she often didn't talk about the Avengers as normal people in front of others, it would just stimulate lots of fangirlism and interrogations about where they lived. 

And that was actually kept a secret from most of the world, since no one wanted paparazzi barging in every day.

”But thanks again for letting me sleep here, you're awesome, MJ.”

”I know,” MJ joked and turned off the lamp.

”Just wish Miss Tate could see it.”

 

”Hey, Ava,” Peter greeted her the next day by the lockers.

”I didn't see you yesterday. Not that you have to explain, I just noticed it.”

Ava smiled tiredly at him as she pushed in the books in the locker and pulled out her bag, where she had her training clothes for the PE. PE had never been a problem for her, and even less nowadays.

”A family friend of mine died, and she lived in London,” Ava told and pushed away Sharon’s speech from her mind, her and Tony’s fight was the last she wanted to think about.

”I’m sorry to hear about it, Ava, I really am,” Peter apologized as they made their way to class, which would start in ten minutes.

”Thank you, but she was old,” Ava mumbled before they stopped in front of the locker rooms.

”See you soon.”

Most of the lesson consisted of running, much to Ava’s dismay since it gave her the time to think about everything. 

The Accords, which was basically an Inhuman registration, her dad supporting the Inhumans being put on a list, Steve and Sam being arrested and brought to Berlin, being told by her father that he didn't trust her or other Inhumans because they were part alien. 

Ava loathed it, she simply wanted things to go back to how they had been before, with her putting on the suit and Tony just telling her to be careful, nothing about her having to sign up on stuff.  
What Ava hadn't noticed was how much faster she had begun to run, almost to the point where she was running in the same speed most people sprinted with all they had, which she hadn't realized until her teacher had yelled something about her taking steroids (which he often said to people who ran fast or were strong) but that only made her slow down and run slower again, he’d probably forget it till next time. The problem when she could somehow shoot out energy to make her steps longer and quicker.

”Today seemed to have been your day,” MJ commented in the locker room after they had showered, with Ava fighting against a sock which didn't want to obey.

”Well, I had a good start,” Ava lied and cursed when she accidentally dropped her sock.

”Anyway, what’s the next lesson?”  
”I think it’s maths. You know, that algebra test?” Mary Jane stated and shuddered, with Ava simply shrugging.

She loved her Stark brain.

”It’s not much you can prepare for that, anyway,” Ava replied and finally managed to get on the sock on her foot before she stuck her feet into her shoes.

Five minutes later, both Ava and Mary Jane got out of the locker room and went for the lockers to change stuff before they went to the classroom, where Ava could spot both Peter and his friend Ned sit on their seats while seemingly preparing for the test.

”Hiya, Parker,” she greeted and sat down beside him, given the fact that it was her seat, after all.

”Hi,” Peter said and looked down on the table in front them while he seemed to be playing with his pencil again.

”So, uh, you ready for the test?”  
”I think I am, actually,” Ava admitted and finger combed her still damp hair, which was a lot harder than most people with short hair thought it was.

”But right now, I just want to get home and sleep.”

”Yeah, me too,” Peter replied and laughed slightly, just their teacher arrived with the papers.

 

”You still got science?” Ava wondered an hour later as she pulled out her bag from the locker, with MJ picking out some things Ava didn't need.

”Yeah, you can still crash at my place if you want to,” she offered, but Ava shook her head.

”Thanks, but no thanks. It’s not _that_ scary at home,” Ava joked and rolled her eyes as she went for the exit, when she suddenly felt her butt vibrate.

Well, not her butt, more like her back pocket, which she could feel her phone in. She immediately took it up and cast a glance at the screen, and raised her eyebrow confused when she saw the notification.

_White van, parking lot. Cap needs our help._

_—C_

Ava cast a glance around herself, before she continued her way to the parking lot, while hearing Flash Thompson shouting for her to come.

”Next time, Thompson!” she yelled back and rolled her eyes when even thinking about that slime ball.

She couldn't see the person inside the van since the car was facing the same direction as she did. But since Ava was slightly paranoid (which she could become when getting strange texts from strangers) she quickly poised herself to high five the person inside the van, in the face, with psionic energy.

Luckily for both of them, Ava didn't need to hit the driver, because that driver was Clint Barton, which still surprised her.

”What the hell?” Ava exclaimed as she got into the car just before Clint began to drive.

”Cap needs our help,” Clint stated and shrugged as he swerved right.

”Yeah, I saw your text. But what —o holy pigeon— did you mean with Steve needing our help? _My_ help?” she questioned and made him roll his eyes.

”Do I need to answer right now? I'm trying to not hit a student here, you guys are like ants,” Clint complained and made Ava glare at him.

”Does a ’please’ help?” Ava asked him with an exaggerated sweet voice as she batted her eyelashes and made them sparkle, minus the ’le’.

Unfortunately, Clint wasn't impressed. He simply looked at her in that way Tony could look at her, which was often ’dude, you serious?’ He had kids after all, maybe he was used to use it.

”Kid, I’ve been fighting aliens coming through a wormhole, been attacked by crazy murder robots and I only used a freaking bow, a fifteen year old kid with glowing powers doesn't scare me,” he stated and snorted, making her huff and roll her eyes.

”True,” she admitted and glanced out to see everything fly past her, seemed like Clint had been accelerating a bit.

”But seriously, you want me to bust out Steve and Sam out of jail? Because I may be super, but I'm not Superman.”

Much to her surprise, Clint actually laughed at that. And people called her humor bad.

”No, not really,” Clint stated and explained what he had heard from Steve.

And what he had heard from Steve was a lot. That Bucky Barnes was innocent, a crazy psychiatrist, five psycho assassins, Berlin, Siberia. Sounded like a really bad Friday, but if Steve needed help that her father couldn't provide, then another Stark would fit just fine.

”Yeah, sounds awesome, but why aren't we heading to the airport?” she questioned.

”We have two stops from here,” Clint told her as they drove almost faster than the speed limit, but no one didn't seem to notice that, luckily.

”And I could need some help with some recruitment, got one teenager stuck in a house, along with a guy in San Francisco.”

Ava raised her eyebrow confused.

”With trapped teenager, do you actually mean Wanda?” Ava questioned stunned, making Clint nod.

”Your dad’s been keeping her there since the Accords, something about protecting her from the people that are pissed at her.”

”It was an accident, she didn't do that on purpose!” Ava exclaimed and felt her hands twitch.

”Not everyone sees it in that way, kid,” Clint mumbled and glanced at her smoking hands.

”But seriously, how did you get those powers? Because I'm pretty damn sure you didn't have those powers a year ago.”

Ava snorted amused as they began to leave the city, were they really going to the Avengers’ Facility? Going to the facility was nowadays like meeting her old friends, which most of them kind of were, even though they were Avengers.

Ava still remembered her dad coming back home from the battle, with a tired but relieved smile as she had run into his arms.

The fact that aliens that weren't Thor existed had during that time made her flesh creep. A couple years later, she had of course found out that she herself was part alien, so… Wasn't too horrible when she thought about it.

”I’m Inhuman. I’m sure you still have some agent buddies who feed you gossip about everything, including their fucked up origin with Krees,” Ava stated.

”Well, a year ago, I ate a fish oil pill that had some strange crystals inside, Hill calls it Terrigen crystal. That crystal gave me psionic energy powers.”

”Well, that’s awesome,” Clint muttered and parked the car a few yards from the facility.

”Quick question, what are we doing right now, and why are you picking up a couple of bombs?” Ava questioned wearily.

Even though Clint (aka Hawkeye) was a highly skilled agent who could render nuclear bombs harmless in minutes (or less), seeing him hold a normal bomb still made her slightly uneasy. Even though she was an Inhuman who could probably shield herself from the explosion with the help of her powers, her environment had still taught her that bombs were dangerous and that she was screwed if she ever saw one. Especially since her dad once had been working with weapons until 2008.

”This? This is just the distraction,” Clint told and put the explosives far away from their car.

”Time to go, kid.”

A couple of minutes later, after Clint had pressed the button and made the bomb go poof, they entered the house.

As she spotted Wanda, Ava accidentally made a loud noise. That was a mistake, a huge mistake, which she realized when a knife came soaring towards her, making Ava do what anyone else would have done with psionic powers, she created a force field in front of her and made the knife bounce off. 

”Guess we should have knocked,” Clint stated and threw a glance at the knife that was lying on the floor now.

”Oh my god. What are you doing here?” she questioned stunned as she watched Clint.

”What is he doing?”

”I’m disappointing my kids. We’re supposed to go water skiing. Cap needs our help, come on,” Clint said stressed as they began to leave.

”Clint!” a voice rang, making Ava turn and see Vision phase through the wall.

”You should not be here.”

”Really?” Clint questioned skeptically and turned around with the rest of them.

”I retired for, what, like 5 minutes? And it all goes to shit.”

”The story of the pigeon’s life,” Ava joked quietly and smirked at her own joke.

Fortunately, no one except Clint seemed to have heard it. 

No, all of them seemed to have heard her, given that Wanda was looking at her confused, Clint was rolling his eyes and Vision was tilting his head slightly.

”Please consider the consequences of your actions, for everyone’s sake, including yours,” Vision pleaded as his eyes fell on her.

”Well, I’m good, nailed my algebra test, so…” Ava stated and shrugged, just as Vision went right into the trap and got electrocuted by strings of electricity from the arrows, she herself had done nothing.

”We should go now,” she said and cast an uncertain glance towards Clint, who nodded, taking it as their sign to leave.

At least until she noticed that Wanda hadn't moved.

”It’s this way,” Clint commented and made Ava turn back.

”I've caused enough problems,” Wanda mumbled, making Ava’s heart sink.

Ava hadn’t gone through what Wanda had, with the media bashing her every other day since Lagos, and to know that people were afraid of her, that she accidentally had killed because of it, Ava couldn't even begin to understand how that felt.

”You got to help me, Wanda,” Clint began and jogged back to her. 

”You can go to high school. You want to make amends. You get off your ass.”

Ava wasn't so sure that Clint was a very good pep talker, but it worked.

In that moment, she noticed how Vision somehow was able to destroy the arrows with his mojo and immediately went to attack him, with Clint simply commenting about that he should have stretched. 

It didn't go much better after Vision easily managed to overpower him, which triggered her own powers. Once again, her hands began to burn, but not in a playful mood, she was certainly ready to attack Vision if he hurt Clint.

”Clint, you can't overpower me,” Vision stated with his arms around Clint’s throat as Ava could simply watch with worry bubbling in her stomach.

”I know I can't. But, she can,” was the only reply Clint said, making both Ava and Vision turn their heads towards Wanda, who was creating a small sphere of smokey red energy between her hands.

To see this on YouTube filmed by civilians’ perspective or see her pick up pencils from the floor, that was one thing (two, technically), but to see it being used on a higher level, the power radiating from her… It was alien, just as alien as Ava herself was, but much more ancient and powerful, the mere thought of her capabilities was just frightening. 

No wonder Wanda was afraid of her own powers.

”Vision. That's enough, let him go. I'm leaving,” Wanda stated with a dangerous undertone in her voice as she began to circle around them.

”I can’t let you,” Vision protested as Wanda somehow made Clint slip through Vision’s molecules, almost like he was made of dust.

”I’m sorry,” she whispered as she pushed her hands together and seemed to increase his density, much to Ava’s amazement.

And she had thought that she had been powerful with psychic energy powers, but this? This was just beyond anything she had ever seen.

”If you do this, they will never stop being afraid of you,” Vision forced out as Ava could just stare at them with her mouth almost open.

That was until she noticed that Clint was still lying on the floor and decided to help him up from the floor.

”You okay, pigeon?” she wondered as Vision was dragged down into the Earth by Wanda, she could bet that he still fell.

”Told you that I should've stretched,” he muttered and took a look at the huge hole in the building.

”Oh... Come on. We got one more stop.”


	6. Team Cap vs Team Iron Man

Finding that guy in San Francisco and making him go with them had been much easier than ’rescuing’ Wanda from the Facility, especially since he could recognize all their faces, especially Wanda, who was an active (ish) Avenger. 

Ava didn't know that much about him, except that his name was Scott Lang, the cat burglar (he was very specific with burglar and not robber) of VistaCorp, and he had some sort of shrinking tech that Hank Pym hadn't talked so much about, and certainly didn't want a Stark to know about it. 

After a couple of hours in a chopper, half an hour to get a new van, and the rest of the time waiting in that van for Steve and Sam, both Scott and Ava had dozed off, with Ava being awake again and simply waiting (and yearning for a burger) when she widened her eyes terrified.

”Shit!” she exclaimed and dug around in her pocket for her phone, which she luckily found before she quickly ran through her contact list, until she found what she looked for.

”Is it cool if I just make a call?”

”Yeah, whatever,” Clint said and shrugged, with Ava doing a thumbs up before she clicked on the name.

_”Hello?”_

”Hey, Peter,” Ava began as she began to pull her hair into a ponytail with her phone resting on her shoulder.

”I feel a bit sick today, so… I can’t study today, just so you know.”

To make it a little more realistic, Ava let out a fake cough. Judging Clint and Wanda’s expressions, it wasn't a good one.

 _”Oh, that’s awesome! I mean, uh, not that you're sick, because that sucks. I’m actually sick too,”_ Peter told and sneezed on the other line.

”That’s sucks,” Ava agreed and high-fived herself mentally as she smiled slightly on the outside.

”But maybe tomorrow if we’re not too dead, yeah?”

 _”Yeah, sounds great,”_ Peter said, just as she heard something in the background, making her raise her eyebrow.

Why did it sound like clunks of metal meeting each other?

”What’s that sound?” she wondered curiously, making Peter curse lowly on the other side, which was a bit amusing actually.

_”Sorry. It’s just the TV, you know. But, see you another time, and get better!”_

”You too, Peter,” Ava replied and hung up, only to be met by Clint’s judgmental glare.

”What?”

”That was the worst acting I've ever seen, and I've got kids!” he exclaimed while Wanda was tilting her head slightly.

”Who was that boy?” she wondered curiously, and immediately reminded Ava that Wanda actually was only around two or three years older than her.

”It was Peter, my study buddy,” Ava told, and received a raised eyebrow from Clint, much to her dismay.

”First dad, then you? Really?”

Suddenly, she could hear something outside of the van approach them, a car probably.

”Pigeon, the eagle has landed, I repeat, the eagle has landed,” Ava informed and got out of the van though Wanda’s door.

”Cap,” Clint greeted Steve as they shook hands.

”You know I wouldn't have called If I had any other choice,” Steve told.

”Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides... I owe a debt.”

”Thanks for having my back,” he told and directed that to Wanda, who simply replied with her getting off her ass, as Clint had put it.

”I’m sorry for having to drag you into this, Ava. But we need all the help we can get,” Steve told Ava.

”I’m done with all the tests anyway, I'm cool,” Ava stated and shrugged, which made Sam roll his eyes but smirk.

”How about our other recruit?”

”He's ready to go. I have to put a little coffee in him, but... he should be good,” Clint stated as he opened the door, which apparently woke up the former sleeping Scott.

And the look on his face when Clint pushed him towards Steve was pure wonder and amazement, it was kind of cute to see a grown-up look like a kid when meeting his heroes.

”Captain America,” Scott breathed out as he extended his hand.

”Mr. Lang,” Steve replied in a polite yet serious voice, which was very Captain America of him.

”It's an honor. I'm shaking your hand too long,” Scott realized and dropped his hand to take a hold of Steve’s shoulders.

”Wow. This is awesome. Captain America. I know you too, you're great. Jeez. Look, I wanted to say. I know you know a lot of super people, so... Thanks for thinking of me.”

Some people were annoying when they met the Avengers, like Christine Everhart who once had slept with her dad (she had definitely not been aware of that when she had been seven, Tony had just mentioned that a few years back when watching the news). And she was now a great supporter of the Accords, which had made Ava dislike her even more.   
But Scott was just adorable when meeting them, and that was a fact.

”Hey, man!” he said to Sam, who didn't look that impressed at all.

”What’s up, Tic-Tac?” he simply replied with, making Ava suspect that they somehow had a history, no one called anyone Tic-Tac for nothing.

”Good to see you. Look. What happened last time was a…”

”It was a great audition, but it'll... It will never happen again,” Sam stated, which basically confirmed Ava’s theory.

”Did he tell you what we're up against?” Steve wondered, with Scott simply replying with psycho assassins, which was pretty much the deal.

”We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man.”  
Scott didn't look so intimidated at all. In fact, he simply shrugged.

”Yeah, well… What else is new?” he said and made Ava roll her eyes but smirk slightly.

”We should get moving,” Barnes called out by the car, whom Ava almost hadn't noticed.

Probably since he’d been quiet the entire time.

”I got a chopper lined up,” Clint added, just as they all could hear a guy speak German in a speaker, but she could catch something that sounded like ’evacuation.’

Her dad, it was definitely her dad.

”It’s my dad,” Ava mumbled and made Scott widen his eyes slightly.

”Stark?”

Steve didn't say anything about Tony. Instead, he simply ordered them all to suit up, which meant for her and Wanda getting the van.

Ava had been lucky that she had taken her suit and mask with her to school, otherwise she’d been forced to fight in jeans and a top, which would be quite damaging, at least for her clothes.

”Try not to break this,” Clint muttered when she and Wanda came out of the van in their other clothes before he handed over an earpiece each to them, as he definitely referred to Ava.

”Don’t worry, Clint, I won’t do anything stupid, maybe,” Ava stated and smirked.

”So… What’s the plan, Steve?”

 

Minutes later, Ava, Sam and Barnes were in the terminal while looking for that quinjet Steve had mentioned, in case something would happen to the chopper. Plus, they were seven people, they wouldn't be able to fit seven people in that thing. 

”Finding anything, Sam?” Ava questioned as she herself tried to search after the jet with her energy, it could work sometimes.

”Nope, nada. You?” he asked and cast a glance at her, making her shake her head.

”Nothing yet,” she mumbled as she tried to press harder, but it was like stretching a rubber band.

If she pushed too hard at the same time, the connection would burst and would leave her with a headache for an hour.

”Shouldn’t this be easy for you?” Sam asked and made Ava glare at him insulted.

”I mean, isn't this sort of your gig?”

”No, it isn't, and I'm not used to do this in a very large area, you know, I usually only use it in school, when no one notices it,” Ava admitted and shrugged, with Barnes watching her puzzled, almost like he believed that she would grow out a pair of wings.

”What was your power again?” he wondered as his eyes roamed her suit, maybe the glowing suit was more subtle than she had believed.

”I would say psycho-ergokinesis,” Ava explained.

”Plus I’m slightly harder to kill —maybe 10% better durability and healing factor, and I can run quite fast, but I have no super strength. But I can manipulate psionic energy, meaning that I can create constructs or solidify mental energy. It’s all in my genes, nowadays.”

To her surprise, Barnes seemed to understand what she had meant, until she remembered that he’d been the smart one in his class, along with an infamous assassin, knowing what genes and stuff were was perhaps an obvious thing to know in his book.

”That’s why you can’t move matter, while that girl can, right? Since she can manipulate matter and _most_ energies and you mental energy,” he said, making her nod while trying to ignore the conversation going down on the field she heard in the earpiece.

”Yeah, exactly” Ava stated and chuckled before she continued to press harder to find that damned jet.

”Quick question, doll,” he began (and made her almost raise her eyebrow when he used his 40’s phrase unconsciously),”why aren't you helping your father?”

Her smile faded slightly as she looked down on the floor. She should have been prepared for that question, dammit.

”My father and I have different opinions when it comes to freedom and safety,” Ava simply stated.

”Anyway, you've got something?”

”Hell yeah, I do,” Sam said and activated his earpiece.

”We found it. The quinjet is in hanger five, north runway.”

When hearing Steve something to Scott, Ava took it as their cue to run. Especially when she spotted an annoyingly familiar little bugger whom she hadn't expected to be present.

”What the hell is that?” Barnes questioned stunned, making Sam grunt.

”Everyone's got a gimmick now,” he grumbled while Ava was simply trying to not roll her eyes.

”Whatever you do, do not let him shoot you, I've seen those webs before, nasty,” Ava stated and shuddered, just as Spidey crashed through the windows and kicked away both her and Sam, to her dismay as she almost crashed right into the wall. 

Luckily, she had the time to create a forcefield that caught her before that could happen.

And to her shock, that little shit managed to catch Barnes’ metal arm like it was nothing. She knew that Bucky’s metal arm was stronger than Steve’s arms (while his real was the same as Cap). So she immediately realized that Spidey was much stronger than both Bucky and Steve, and those two were really strong.

”You have a metal arm? That is awesome, dude!” Spidey exclaimed, just before Sam slammed him up in the air, with Ava following him up at once.

”You have the right to remain silent!” Spidey yelled at Sam, making Ava laugh slightly as he landed on a metal bar.

”No, I prefer talking, actually!” she said and whooshed him away with a blast in the gut, harmless of course.

Something that greatly impressed her was how quickly Spidey managed to recover from her blow, even though she had shot a rather quite powerful attack at him.

”I would say nice to see you again, but now, I'm not,” Spidey stated, making Ava raise her eyebrow at him as she went for another blow at him and missed.

”Aw, you know you’ve missed me,” Ava joked and almost made a loop in the air.

”Your powers seriously don't obey to the laws of physics,” Spidey stated as he managed to catch her into that sticky web beside Sam.

”Can you manipulate your gravitation or is it something else?” 

”Dunno, I think there is some sort of gravitation manipulation along with the energy thing, yeah,” Ava stated and shrugged with trying to ignore the sticky web around her entire body, which was quite disgusting.

”You got your stuff upgraded?”

”Yeah, Mr. Stark fixed this,” Spidey exclaimed and shrugged.

”And he actually made me this supercool—”

”Less talk, more fighting,” Sam interrupted annoyed and made Ava glare at him.

”Sorry, my bad,” Spidey simply said and swung himself at them —just as Barnes ran to their rescue— and managed to push them downwards.

Only to be covered in a new layer of webbing.

”Guys, look. I'd love to keep this up but I've only got one job here today and I gotta impress Mr. Stark, so, I’m really sorry,” he apologized and was about to shoot them again with his goddamned webs, when Sam’s little flying Redwing took a hold of him and threw him out of the window, much to Ava’s amusement.

It wasn't like he would get hurt, she had seen the videos.

”You couldn't have done that earlier?” Barnes questioned skeptically and made Ava snort.

”I hate you,” Sam grumbled while Ava began to cut herself out from the webs with the help of a psionic dagger she created in her hand, using the heat to melt the hard protein-like substance.

”Yeah, yeah, but let’s just get ourselves out of this shit,” she stated and managed to get out.

”And why didn't you do that earlier?” Sam exclaimed as Ava removed the web from his pack with the strings, making her grunt.

”Wasn’t sure if it would work, that’s all,” she stated and shrugged before they headed out through the hole of the window, with Sam carrying Barnes, to both of their dismay.

It wasn't like Ava could carry a 200 pound heavy man, after all.

”Come on!” Steve suddenly called, making Ava look up and find most of her group head towards the quinjet, which they also began to do.

From nowhere, a large beam of energy (with the same radiation as Wanda’s mojo sent her) pierced through the asphalt before their feet and made them halt. If Ava had only run a little further, she would have been a crisp by now.

”Captain Rogers!” Vision (who seemed to be okay after yesterday) called out.

”I know you believe what you're doing is right. But, for the collective good, you must surrender now.”

While he was talking, the rest of them appeared behind him, Stark, Nat, T’Challa, Rhodey, even Spidey who landed in a position that was more graceful than her crash with the webs.

No, she wasn't jealous, she was just observing.

”What do we do, Cap?” Sam questioned beside her.

”We fight,” was the only reply they got from Steve before they all began to walk towards the others, who began to closing in on them too.

Ava definitely didn't want to hurt her dad, so she silently hoped that it would happen, the guy in front of her was actually Spidey, much to her relief? 

That march turned into a high-paced jog, which quickly became a do-whatever-you-want-sprint. Ava shot up in the air and let the gravity do the rest for her as she directed herself unto Spidey with her fist. There wasn't much she could do when he quickly parried the hit and made her fall by her own force. She quickly recovered and began to chase around him, both on air and ground, almost like a cat and mouse game.

”Dude, stop that!” Ava exclaimed as she jumped up in the air before she managed to nail a good two-legged kick into Spidey’s gut, making him crash down on the ground.

It was a bit nice that she wasn't the only falling down on the ground for once.

”Here’s the thing, I don't know if I should web you up or not, again,” Spider-Man stated, making Ava laugh.

”Why, too hot for you?” Ava joked.

”No, I don't think so. Not that you aren't hot, or I don't really know, I haven't seen your face before, but I think you are hot…” Spidey stuttered as he landed on a truck while Ava was hanging in the air as her face was heating up slightly.

Ava maybe was an Inhuman that could create energy constructs and blasts, but she was still a fifteen year old girl who blushed when someone called her hot.

”Thanks, I guess,” Ava replied with a smile before she lunged herself at Spider-Man, making them both fall off the van and land on the asphalt while being tangled into each other.

”You seem to be pretty cute.”

For most people, having someone who was larger on your body was quite uncomfortable and unpractical, but it was Christmas for her, Ava knew Natasha Leg Scissor Romanoff, after all. In one moment, Spidey was basically lying on top of her (while apologizing for making her uncomfortable) the next second her leg was pressing down his head towards the ground while she was tugging at his arm, but it was annoying with him being insanely flexible.

”Goddammit, you are like rubber!” Ava exclaimed, before his foot met her face.

By pure instinct, she created a slightly hot forcefield in front of her face, making Spidey yell out and yank his foot away from her.

”Well, not really,” Spider-Man replied in discomfort as he rose up from the ground with her clinging on to him, until he easily managed to pry her off his back.

”God, you're like Yoda!” he exclaimed before he shot a web sling and jumped up in the air, with Ava simply smirking and shooting up in the air before actually flying.

”Yoda am I like,” she joked, just before someone hit her right in the back, causing her to lose her air and stumble, which she somehow could do in the air.

Ava turned around to find her dad be behind the attack, as he had shot a blast at her. The shot did not hurt her permanently because of the fact that it was her own energy (remember being human battery?) But the impact wasn't nice.

”Ow! Dick move!” Ava yelled at him while trying to remove the thing from her back, which seemed to hold on like a leech.

”Look, I'm just trying to look after that boy, which means no damages on him,” Tony protested, which Ava could understand, yet still got pissed over.

”Did Steve actually drag you into this?” he questioned and shot another blast at her.

Since she was more prepared this time, Ava simply made a force field that it collided with before being absorbed into it.

”He asked me if I wanted to. And since I'm the rational Stark here, I followed” Ava stated and rolled her eyes.

”Because unlike someone else here, they believe that I can be trusted, even if I'm an alien.”

She continued to avoid him and occasionally tried to hit him with constructs that ranged from daggers, to just blasts, just before Sam also joined the party and tried to get Tony off her, which didn't work so well. When she got home, the chance of her being grounded was pretty damn high.

”Clint, I need some help over here!” she yelled and ducked from another blast.

_”You buckled in?”_

_”Yeah. No, I'm good. I'm good, arrow-guy. Let's go. Let's go!”_ Scott yelled in the earpiece, making Ava wonder what the hell they were planning, just before a large arrow came flying at Tony as it split in smaller parts.

As he was blasting them all, she certainly hoped that Scott wasn't on one of them anymore, she liked that guy.

While Scott and Clint was handling her dad, Ava herself glided around and shot away those who almost killed someone (cough, Black Panther!) Before she stopped and found Spidey under the weight of a tank, which had no idea he even could lift. The amount of strength that spider got was simply astounding, and she would have been shocked even if he had been smashed after five seconds. Although something told her that he’d been stuck there a little longer than five seconds.

”Does the Spider need some help?” she questioned and landed beside him softly, not in a superhero landing like he often did, simply landing on her feet like a normal person.

”Yeah, thanks,” he said restrained.

”Well, let’s see,” Ava mumbled and used her powers to cut two slashes in the metal, which made the other parts of the tank that Spidey wasn't holding, fall down on the ground with a crash, with him simply sighing in relief.

This made her marvel his raw physical strength immensely.

”Tell me your secret about how you did this,” she joked.

”I’m from Queens,” he replied and made her laugh as he dropped the thing behind him.

”Manhattan,” Ava told and glanced up at the tank.

As the thing fell down behind them, she accidentally managed to trip and almost fall down on the ground before Spidey caught her hand and pulled her up, much her gratitude.

”Thanks,” Ava said, just as her earpiece went to life.

 _”Are you actually a gentlewoman over there, come on!”_ Clint exclaimed, making Ava groan loudly and Spider-Man look at her puzzled.

”Yes, Clint, I'm actually nice,” she muttered and rolled her eyes.

”Plus, I know this guy, I met him at a store during a robbery.”

”Well, ’know’ is a bit of a stretch but…” Spidey began before Ava gestured to him to be quiet.

 _”We got to go. That guy's probably in Siberia by now,”_ Barnes stated worriedly on the other line, making Ava actually remember who they actually were supposed to fight.

Right… Crazy HYDRA assassins with super solider juice.

 _”I'm gonna draw all the fliers. I'll take Vision. You get to the jet,”_ Steve replied.

 _”No, you get to the jet! Both of you! The rest of us aren’t getting out of here,”_ Sam protested.

 _”As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it,”_ Clint added, making Ava nod slightly.

”I don't like to agree with pigeon on this, but he's right. This isn't the real fight,” she told.

_”All right, Sam, what's the plan?”_

_”We need a diversion, something big.”_

_”I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long,”_ Scott informed everyone.

_”On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half—”_

”What? Dude!” Ava exclaimed horrified while Spidey was still standing there while watching her discuss with her teammates.

 _”Don't come back for me._ ”

 _”He’s gonna tear himself in half?”_ Bucky questioned and seemed to sound quite concerned while Ava was looking around to see any ripped Scott Langs anywhere.

”Is this really a good idea, Scott?” Ava questioned.

 _”Yeah, I do it all the time. I mean once… in a lab. And I passed out,”_ Scott replied before he began to chant that he was the best.

She had to say, he did seem to be a bit confident about it, and she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

”So… What’s gonna happen?” Spidey questioned after Ava had turned her mic off in her earpiece in case Clint would complain more.

”No idea,” she replied, just as Scott grew into a giant and took a hold of Rhodey’s legs, much to her amazement.

”Holy shit!” both she and Spider-Man exclaimed while watching the now large man laugh like a maniac.

 _”I guess that's the signal,”_ Steve stated.

 _”Way to go, tic-tac!”_ Sam yelled pleased and made Ava laugh, just as Scott tossed away Rhodey into an airplane, which was also when Spidey left her side to pick him up.

”Well, gotta join the party,” she said to herself and took off in the air while trying to keep Vision occupied while Scott was breaking havoc.

By keeping him occupied, she actually meant attacking him with her blasts, which he always ducked or counterattacked with his own energy beams. Was she just a really bad shot or was he really good at dodging? She hoped for the second one, or else she would embarrass her dad and grandpa forever.

”Aveline, I do not want to hurt you, you are just a child,” Vision said and blocked another hit from her before he managed to create some distance between them by phasing through her molecules.

”I don't want to fight you either, but… Got no choice,” Ava stated and shrugged while Vision had slipped away and destroyed a large tower, just where the quinjet was.

She prayed Steve and Barnes had managed to get through.

”Hey guys. You ever see that really old movie? Empire Strikes Back?” she could hear Spidey yell below her, making her widen her eyes.

”Hey! Empire is not old, it’s a classic!” she exclaimed insulted.

”You know that part? When they're on the snow planet? With the walking thingies?”

As the Spider said that, Ava widened her eyes as she realized what he was trying to say, but how the hell would she be able to stop them?

”Hey Scott, watch out!” she yelled in the earpiece, but it was too late, both Stark and Rhodey had managed to hit Scott in the face, making him lose his balance and fall.

Ava, who was an idiot, tried to get him up on his feet, only to get accidentally smacked by him, which sent her flying backwards. Since she didn't want to turn into a pile of bloody mush, she quickly tried to slow the fall as she fell down into a van, force field first, head second.

Unfortunately, that was the last thing she saw because it went black.


	7. Jetline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excuse my Spanish here, thanks

”Mr. Stark, what am I supposed to do?”

There was a pause.

”Yeah, copy that.”

As Ava tried to open her eyes, she shut them again as the first thing she felt was the enormous headache pounding in her skull, almost like someone was hitting her head into the ground over and over again. 

She tried to get some life in her limbs, just as she felt someone touch her face, much to her panic. Ava’s first instinct was to hit them in the face, which she almost did, until it felt like her head was completely jacked.

”Get away from me!” she yelled at him.

”Hey, hey, hey, hey, your mask thing is a bit off and I’m trying cover it, be still and please don't hit me,” a familiar voice said.

Ava froze when he said that, was her mask actually off? 

”Wait, what? Shit, shit, fuck, no,” she mumbled horrified and opened her eyes and found Spider-Man loom over her.

”Do you see my face right now, how much do you see of me?” 

”Enough to see that you were right about being hot,” Spidey replied, making her widen her eyes while her headache only seemed to increase.

”Muchas gracias, chico guapo, but since I care about keeping my identity to myself, I’d like to pull this thing on again,” Ava replied and tried to pull on the mask again.

But by simply trying to move at all, the pain in her head forced her to stiffen, it hurt like a bitch, more or less. The mere pain made her grimace slightly.

”Hey, you okay?” Spidey asked her concerned.

”It hurts a bit,” Ava gasped and blinked harshly as her eyes began to dampen slightly.

God, she was crying. Ava never cried of physical trauma, not unless it was something serious. She guessed that falling from over 65 feet and crash-landing into a van made of metal was something serious, even if she had used a shield to not get killed.

”Hold on, just let me fix this, okay?” he told her kindly.

She could suddenly feel his hands gently on her face again, just below her eye and above chin before her face was covered in that mask again.

”What happened?” Ava questioned and swallowed, was that blood in her mouth? 

It definitely was.

”Um, the CIA came and picked up your team while War Machine has gotten hurt,” Spidey informed and sat down beside her.

”How is he?” Ava demanded and made Spidey shrug.

”I don't know, Mr. Stark hasn't told anything,” he said and made her heart sink.

”You know, I didn't want this to happen,” Ava mumbled and tried to shift to a more comfortable position.

Hopefully her body hadn't sustained too bad injuries. 

”I still don't like the Accords, it feels like I get a label that will read ’Dangerous vigilante.’”

”How did you even get here?” Spidey wondered, just before Ava cried out in pain as she tried to move her arm.

”Are you okay, what happened?” he quickly asked while sounding concerned over her.

It was kind of him to be with her, even though they barely knew each other and had fought on opposite sides.

”Just realized that my arm is temporarily messed up,” Ava exhaled and had to stifle another shriek.

”Small question; how the hell are we supposed to get back to America?”

”Well, uh, Mr. Stark said something about picking us up soon, so I don't think we have to learn German,” Spidey told and made Ava laugh slightly. 

”Well, that's good, since I suck at German,” she joked and coughed up some blood, which she seriously hoped did not come from her lungs.

On the other hand, her tongue did throb annoyingly, but she felt no off bitten piece of muscle lying in her mouth, so that was a bonus.

”What language did you pick?” 

”Spanish, it’s kinda cool,” Spidey stated and shrugged, making Ava smile slightly, being half Mexican herself.

At least, that’s what her dad had said.

”Estudio la lengua francés pero hablo español,” she told him as she suddenly heard something outside the dark van.

”I think our ride just arrived.”

And Ava was certainly right, if she used some of her strength, she could see a private jet land amongst the chaos, much to her anxiety.

”Uh, you need some help with getting to the plane?” Spidey asked as she could trace a small hint of nervousness, was the Spider-Man nervous about carrying her onto the plane?

”Yeah… I think so,” Ava said and chuckled slightly.

”Falling from 60 feet into a van isn't comfortable at all.”

Spidey chuckled slightly as he got up on his feet before he bent down.

”Is it okay if I put my arm here?” he asked her carefully as he began to put one of his arms below her legs while the other went over her back.

”Yeah, it’s okay,” Ava stated and tried to sound casual, it was Spider-Man after all.

How could you blame her for blushing slightly?

”I’m just gonna put my arms around your neck, if that’s cool?”

Spidey nodded slightly before she forced herself to move, even though the pain made her grimace. 

Conceal it, Ava, just shut up and let the friendly spider carry you off to the private jet, she thought and almost rolled her eyes over the ridiculousness of this situation, how the hell could a friendly spider and private jet exist in the same sentence?

As they came closer (with Spidey asking every other second if she was okay and her thanking him for actually carrying her) she saw her father stand outside the jet while still being in his Iron Man suit but his helmet off.

”So I'm not going to prison, right?” Ava questioned as they stood only six feet from him, with her still being in Spidey’s arms like a goddamned damsel in distress.

If it hadn't been for Spidey not knowing her identity, Tony would have killed both of them.

”No, you're going home, and you better tell your father that all of this was a mistake,” he stated and seemed much harsher than he looked.

With his black eye and blank eyes, she could have sworn that he’d aged five years.

”Thank you, Stark,”Ava said.

”This is crazy,” Spidey mumbled lowly, which Ava could not disagree at, even though she had lived like this since forever.

”Definitely,” she said and glanced at the long sofa.

”Could you put me down in the sofa, thanks?”

Almost the second after he had put her carefully down in the sofa (once again asking if he was hurting her) Ava fell asleep.

 

_”Dad, come on, have you seriously bought fish oil pills?” Ava questioned and picked up the little jar on the table while examining it closely._

_”It’s healthy, Ava, and healthy is good!” Tony replied._

_”Whatever, if it’s healthy so,” Ava muttered and opened up the jar._

_She was actually going to eat that thing, liquid fish oil without the fish, it seemed disgusting, but Ava had to give it a try, or otherwise those pills would glare at her whenever she went into the kitchen._

_”Whatever you do, don't chew on them,” her dad warned._

_”It’s horrible.”_

_”Mhm, I shall not chew, copy that,” she said and tossed one in her mouth and swallowed._

_The feeling of it sliding down her throat was nasty, it was really big, definitely bigger than a usual painkiller._

_But she would survive._

_”Wasn’t that bad, huh?” her dad questioned with a small smirk as Ava rolled her eyes, before she froze and looked down on her hand, which felt like someone using sandpaper on her skin._

_Whatever happened, it wasn't good. It looked like her skin was turning into stone, almost Medusa style, except the snakes and the ugly face._

_”Dad? Dad!” she cried out horrified as the stone continued up over her arm and began to cover her torso now._

_Her heart pounded in her chest like crazy as she tried to get rid of the stone from her body, but she was stuck in whatever happened to her._

_”Dad! Help!” she almost screamed now while her dad was trying to help her, but the stone stuck to her body like a second skin._

_”What the hell is happening?” Tony exclaimed horrified as the stone swallowed her up._

_”FRIDAY, what’s happening—”_

_Ava was somehow still conscious, she was aware of herself, but she couldn't hear, see or taste anything, it was almost like she was locked away from the rest of the world. But the pain, it felt like her insides were sizzling with something, like her body had become an energy source, ready to explode._

_Then suddenly, she could move her hands, and then the stone around her face fell off. And the first thing she saw was her dad watching her in complete shock._

_There was something inside her! It hurt so much, why couldn't it stop? She just wanted it to STOP!_

_With a high pitched shriek, Ava sent the energy free from her as the last of the stone fell off from her body. It felt so good to release it, almost like dropping something heavy after lifting it for ages. The thing was… It hadn't been a weight plate or something like that she had dropped, it was something else, something worse._

_Ava looked down on her hands in puzzlement, and much to her shock, sparks of blue energy glowed around them like fire. She looked up at her father, who was paler than a sheet as he quickly made sure that no one had seen them._

_”Dad… What’s happening to me?” she whispered as her eyes were filled with tears as she looked around in with horror spreading in her chest._

_There was a huge hole in the floor, and it still glowed._

 

Ava opened her eyes wide-awake, everything around her seemed so quiet. Perhaps because she didn't feel the blood rushing in her head, or having that terrible headache. She slowly rose up and flexed her hands and feet, yep, nothing luckily seemed to be broken, but it did hurt like shit.

By just glancing at her clothing, no one seemed to have touched her suit, so that was a good thing. Plus, she didn't have handcuffs, that was even better. Or gotten yelled at, for that part.

From nowhere, she heard Spidey walking in and immediately covered her eyes in case he didn't wear a mask.

”Spidey, you there?” 

”Yeah, uh, I don't have anything on me right now,” he stated, making Ava raise her eyebrow.

”Do you mean that you’re na—” she questioned and began to wonder why the hell he suddenly was naked.

”No! Well, yeah, technically, b-but I'm wearing a towel, if that h-helps,” he stuttered as the awkwardness began to thicken.

”Is there a shower here?” Ava asked hopefully and rose up without accidentally looking at his face.

”Yeah, it’s right there. We’ve been here for a couple of hours and I'm still thinking this is crazy,” Spidey stated as Ava walked past him and did catch a glance at him, but not his face.

And man, that guy was shredded.

The feeling of closing the door and actually get to peel of her mask was so satisfying. Not that her mask was physically uncomfortable, it was just nice to see herself as Ava Stark and not Strike. Ava liked to actually see her reflection stare back at her, the usual brown eyes, black hair, dark complexion, it felt good to see herself in the mirror again. Except when she spotted the bruise on her jaw. She seriously needed to come up with an excuse for that later.

It felt even better to strip and feel the skintight suit fall off her body like a snake shedding its skin, the sensation of her naked skin meeting the air almost felt so life-giving.

And to feel warm water slide down her body and relax her tense muscles, she loved to shower after being Strike, it was so refreshing to have her hair damp and to feel clean after hours of not touching a shower.  

As she wrapped the towel around her body, Ava suddenly heard a soft knock on the door.

”Ava? Got some clothes for you,” Tony called out on the other side, making Ava open up the door slightly to take the clothes.

”Thanks, dad.”

A normal pair of comfortable tights, along with a dark tank top and a black hoodie with a huge hood that certainly would be able to cover her face. Perfect since Ava didn't want to use her Strike mask.

When she came back to the living room Ava found Spider-Man sit in the sofa, wearing a pair of baggy pants and large hoodie that reminded Ava of her own.

”I can’t believe there actually is a shower here,” Ava stated (and lied) and fell down on the couch beside him, careful to not sit too close, or accidentally slip on her fake New York accent.

She didn't have a voice changer anywhere, so changing her voice herself would have to work too.

”I mean, free sodas and food is one thing —actually two things— but a shower and sofas, those things are just crazy.”

”Yeah, definitely,” Spidey stated and shook his head slightly.

”I don't want to be rude or anything, but, uh… How did you even get in contact with _Captain America_?”

Ava smiled bitterly as she tried to not think about that argument with her dad, who was in the same plane as her

”It’s a complicated story, which involves an Avenger for a relative and a couple of papers,” Ava stated and poured herself an ice cold glass of water.

”I can’t tell you whom, since it would be a bit… Revealing. But my dad got pissed at me.”

”Are you actually related to an Avenger? That’s awesome!” Spidey exclaimed amazed and grinned broadly, she could see enough of his face to see that.

”Mr. Stark came to my place and recruited me. Called my suit a onesie, but he made me a new one, so that was cool.”

Ava didn't seem too astonished that her father seemed to have found out 

Spider-Man’s identity, he was a super famous billionaire with a company worth trillions of billions of dollars with super advanced technology, no wonder he managed to find out about him. 

Knowing about Ava didn't count, he had seen her go through Terrigenesis and helped her design the suit.

Plus, he was Iron Man.

”So, uh… Can I ask question?” Spidey wondered.

”You already did.”

”Yeah, but I mean if, uh, well—” he stuttered, making her smile at him, he was just like Peter!

He even sounded a bit like him, but a lot more confident, even if he tripped on his own words.

”Yeah, it’s cool, shoot,” Ava told with a smile.

”Um… How did you get your powers?” 

Should Ava be surprised over his question? No, her powers were quite different, people were still trying to figure out the origin of Wanda’s powers. Some suspected her to be an Inhuman, just like Ava was. But Clint would have mentioned it then, he’d known about Ava’s for over six months.

”Have you heard about the Inhumans? You know, the aliens who haunted the news for almost half a year ago?” she began.

”Well, I'm one of those people.”

Spidey seemed to have lost his mind for a hot second, that is, until he regained his senses.

”You are half alien? Why are you getting cooler?” he said and shook his head and made her laugh at his comment.

”Nah, I was born this way —technically— and then I ate fish oil pill, it’s not that fun,” Ava replied.

”What about you? Did you inject yourself with spider DNA?”

”Um, not really, it was sort of an accident,” Spidey stated and chuckled nervously.

”It was more of a radioactive spider that bit me, sounds stupid, right?”

”Not at all,” Ava stated.

And she was telling the truth, it did sound much cooler than eating a pill of fish oil and blowing up a part of the kitchen.

”But it sounds very sci-fi, are you sure you're not from a comic book?”

”Says the Supergirl with glowing powers instead of laser eyes,” Spidey muttered and smirked amused.

”But… You live in Manhattan, right?”

”Yeah, and you Queens?” she said.

”It’s so weird that we haven't met before. I mean, you've been out for around six months and we both live in New York.”

”Maybe we just deal with different stuff all the time? And different parts?” Spidey suggested and shrugged, making Ava consider it and find it reasonable.

”Probably,” Ava agreed, just as she noticed her dad lean against the wall with a glass of whiskey in his hand. 

”Glow Stick, can I talk to you a sec?” he questioned.

Ava felt her gut turn upside down, here it would come. The argument from two days ago, great.

”Sure,” she simply said and rose up to follow Tony into another part of the jet, which consisted of a pair of armchairs, in which one of them she carefully sat down in while taking off the hoodie to reveal her face.

”Have you eaten anything?” her father asked and handed her a sandwich, which she gingerly took.

”No, not since I was in school,” Ava admitted and looked down on the floor while eating, she definitely didn't want to look at her father, she didn't want to see his disappointment or anger.

”So… You're not taking me to prison, even though I tried to blast you a few times?” 

Her dad rolled his eyes and took a small sip of his whiskey while looking at her disappointedly.

”Of course I'm not going to do it, you're my daughter,” he stated.

”I said to the CIA that you fought on my expense, otherwise you would be wearing orange instead of black.”

Now it was Ava’s turn to roll her eyes, MJ watched that show, but she didn’t. She was more of a Game of Thrones person. And she firmly believed in R+L=J, no matter how many people on internet protested against it.

”Where are the others? Where did CIA take them?” she questioned, and leaned back against the armchair with the soda in her hand while the sandwich crusts were lying on the little coffee table beside her.

Immediately when she said that, her father cast a glance down on the floor, which Ava took as very bad news. Not that she didn't know him herself, it just felt like it wouldn't please her.

”Look, I didn't want this to happen, I just thought they were going to take them to a normal prison,” Tony began, with Ava impatiently waiting for the punch.

”But… Sam and the others, they were put in the Raft—”

”They are at the Raft?” Ava gasped horrified and glared at the man in front of her, who only seemed to get even more uncomfortable for every second.

”You let the CIA take them to the Raft? Have you been electrocuted too many damn times in your lab? That’s the place they use to lock up maniacs!”

Wanda… How old was she? Eighteen? Nineteen? She was a kid, just like Ava herself. 

”You're saying that Clint, Sam, Scott, and Wanda, who is basically the same age as _me_ , are rotting in a prison cell just because they tried to save us all from HYDRA assassins?” she hissed and felt her insides bubble while her eyes were glowing.

”That is just… Peachy. You should really get a medal, dad. And I thought that Ultron had been the worst you’d—”

”I didn’t know until it was too late!” Tony lashed out, making Ava flinch and watch him quietly.

The pain in his face, how he balled his fist together to keep it from shaking, the freaking whiskey. She hadn't realized how much it had affected him, until she had begun to act like a dick. 

He had lied for her sake without a second thought, she had even fought against him! And she thanked him by using his guilt against him.

Good job, Ava, she thought bitterly.

”I didn't mean what I said to you, Ava,” he mumbled with hurt laced in his voice, making her heart sink even deeper.

She hadn't been prepared for this, she only knew him as her dad, the one with the dry dad jokes who just happened to be Tony Stark. But the man sitting before her was someone else, this was a man who carried his pain inside of him while he desperately tried to reach out for help, but never received it.

”I’m sorry, dad,” she mumbled and looked down on the floor instead of meeting his eyes.

”God, I'm being a dick towards you, even though everything that has happened. I’m sorry… How is he?”

Tony seemed taken aback by her sudden question, which she could see by his eyes widening slightly while his fist loosened but kept shaking slightly.

”How is who?” he asked stunned.

”I mean Rhodey. I heard about him getting hurt during the battle. How is he?” Ava wondered concerned.

”He’s… Well, the fall shattered a part of his spine, his legs are paralyzed, permanently. He won’t be able to walk again, not without any help,” Tony added, making Ava suspect that her father would never take a ’won’t’ for an answer, of course he would do something for his best friend.

”But he's alive. It could have been his death… God, this is my fault, and Barnes is not even guilty…”

Ava raised her eyebrow over how he knew bout it, but she let her father talk, he needed someone to talk to, even if it was his fifteen year old daughter who had no experience in psychology. 

She let him retell her everything, from him being a hostage in Afghanistan —he could still remember the death threats looming above him— to New York with mythical gods and monsters, everything. He even told Ava about his panic attacks and nightmares, even the ones he had tried from her, much to her horror.

”…And Pepper, you know that she tried to help, despite everything but… I can understand her, I mean, Killian, creating Ultron. But I couldn't stop, I couldn't stop creating more suits, I didn't want to,” Tony finished, his eyes lost in memories, making Ava want to take his hand and say that everything would be all right.

But she didn't know how to get it out. Here her father was, the man who’d raised her, a man who’d hidden his pain from his friends and family, spill it all out to her. And honestly? Ava was terrified, she was so used to have her father as her rock, but now…

”Dad… I don't know what to say,” Ava whispered and wiped away the tears from her eyes that had formed.

”It’s something I haven't had time to tell you, kid,” Tony began slowly before he took a sip from his whiskey and rose up.

”I talked with Ross about some compromising, and we agreed on that you wouldn't need to sign, since you aren't an Avenger and you're underage. But they still want me to keep an eye on both you and Underoos over there.”

When hearing her father tell her that, her heart sank even further down in her chest. Her father had freaking compromised with the Secretary so Ava wouldn't need to sign them, and yet, she had acted like a dick only a minutes ago. She felt like the worst daughter in history.

”Thank you dad,” she said lowly and rose up from her armchair to embrace her dad.

”I’m so sorry, I really am.”

Tony’s hands were shaking slightly, barely enough for her to feel it on her back, but she did.

”I know, kiddo,” he mumbled and planted a kiss on her hair before his chin rested on her head for a few seconds.

Neither Tony or Ava were much for hugging each other, both of them often found it quite cheesy to hug family members all the time. But now she realized that they had been hugging twice this week, which was rare, really rare.

Maybe Starks needed hugs too sometimes.

 

”What did Mr. Stark want?” Spidey wondered Ava came back with both a can of soda and a bag of chips.

”He rambled on about the Accords, wanted me to tell my father that this had been a stupid idea, yada yada,” Ava lied and set the can beside her as she sat down in the sofa beside him.

”He also wanted to tell me that I wouldn't have to sign on, since I’m underage, so that was pretty damn awesome.”

”Sounds good, I guess…?” Spidey stated confused and simply shook his head, almost like he tried to clear his head.

”Did Mr. Stark tell you when we would arrive to New York again?”

Ava nodded and simply took a sip of soda while she was fully aware that her father had completely ditched the jet minutes ago to get to the Raft with a helicopter instead.

”In a couple of minutes, he also told me that he’d like to meet you as soon as possible after his little… business, which is why he ditched us,” Ava explained while seriously hoping that they would be able to beat the assassins.

They were HYDRA’s own Plastics, after all.

”Sounds awesome,” he said and grinned, making Ava laugh slightly as she pushed down her hood a bit more.

 ”Yeah, just a bit,” Ava joked and cast a glance at the window, before she wondered for a second if FRIDAY could hear her.

”FRIDAY?”

_”Yes, Miss?”_

There was times like this that Ava was really happy that FRIDAY was a very intelligent system who accidentally didn't tell Spidey her true identity, even though talking to FRIDAY maybe was a getaway.

”When will we arrive to New York?”

_”We will arrive four minutes, Miss Strike.”_

”Thank you, FRIDAY,” Ava thanked while Spidey watched her in wonder and amazement, which did made her smile to herself a bit.

”How— What, uh, that was awesome!” he exclaimed, making Ava chuckle slightly.

”I know this place a little bit,” Ava admitted and sank back in the sofa while trying to strike a new subject to talk about without having to reveal their identities.

”Hope we meet soon, Spidey, and definitely under other circumstances that don't involve punching each other.”

”Me too, you seem to be pretty nice,” he said as they now could see Queens below them.

”Let me guess, you pretended to be sick today from school?”

Ava raised her eyebrow but nodded admittedly as the jet began to land for the Tower.  
”Yeah, you too?” she wondered, making Spidey nod slightly.

”The problem with going to school and being secret,” he told and couldn't make Ava agree more.

”Definitely,” she stated and perked up the second the jet landed and sank down to the garage.

”Let’s go.”  
Navigating in a garage that was huge was normally annoying hard, but since Ava had lived there basically permanently since the Ten Rings had blown up their home in Malibu. 

”How do you even find anything here?” Spidey asked in wonder as they came down to the entrance (or exit), where the orange car waited for him, making Ava shrug.

”I guessed a bit,” she lied as she gestured to him to get in, with him gesturing to her to get in first.

What a gentleman he was.

”I’m cool, I live nearby here. Maybe we’ll see each other soon,” Ava told.

”Yeah, I guess,” Spidey stated and waved slightly before the car drove away, leaving Ava alone outside the Tower.

With the darkness already looming over the city, Ava simply walked back into the Tower, careful to not be seen.

”Home sweet home,” she muttered and fell down in her bed exhausted (even though she already had slept) and let her unconsciousness take over.

She was still human, after all.

 


	8. That photo

_”Jeez, you look like you've been beaten up like shit,”_ Mary Jane wrote to her on Snapchat, much to Ava’s amusement.

If she only knew… 

_”I feel like shit. I woke up on the floor with a bruising jaw and headache, that sucked.”_

Even though the worst of the hit had been absorbed by her force field, she still felt sore, like after a hard workout with lots of weights and lots of sparring with Natasha.

_”You wanna get to my place so we can be shits together?”_

Ava laughed at her phone when she read that, especially since her fiery red hair was messier than Ava’s life.

 _”Nah, Peter Parker is coming to my place today, we’re gonna write the assignment thing together as the sick coughing bastards we are,”_ Ava wrote and pretended to cough into her elbow when snapping.

That response seemed to have greatly amused MJ, because the next snap made Ava groan and roll her eyes.

 _”Is studying the only thing you’ll do???”_ she wrote with her eyebrow high up in the air and that smug grin plastered all over her face.

 _”Dude, we’ve been studying together seven times, get it together,”_ Ava replied and rolled her eyes even more.

_”Besides, don't you have something for Harry Osborn?”_

Ava was a hundred percent sure that her friend had seen her snap, but hadn't answered for a minute (which was the longest time it took for her to snap back during a conversation). 

 _”… Maybe,”_ was Mj’s reply and made Ava smirk smugly at the screen as she began to change clothes to some more ’formal’ clothes, which included not an oversized t-shirt and only panties.

_”Gosh, I ship you so hard, sad he’s not in New York, I think Peter said something about him going abroad.”_

_”So you're talking with Parker about more than science?”_

_”Oh shut up.”_

_”Love you too! Tell me more about your date with Parker on Monday!”_

Ava rolled her eyes as she put her phone in the bed before she rose up from her bed after lying in it like a dead seal.

”FRIDAY, can you tell me if you can see my suit somewhere?” she asked out loud.

 _”Of course, Miss Stark. Is it because you want to hide it or do you need to use it? Peter Parker is approaching this building as we speak,”_ FRIDAY told as Ava made sure that her hair didn't look like a rat’s nest, she didn't want to scare away her study buddy.

”Nah, just making sure he won’t find it,” Ava stated.

 _”Of course. Your suit and photostatic veil is stashed deep down in your wardrobe, Miss. There’s no chance he’ll see it, at least if he doesn't look around in your wardrobe.”_  
”Awesome, where is Peter right now?” Ava wondered as she checked her reflexion one last time as she began to make her way to the elevator to pick up Peter.

She was sure that it would be awkward for him to be led up by an assistant, this wasn't only a place where she and her father lived, after all.

_”He’s just about to open the door to the entrance, Miss.”_

”Lovely, can you tell him that I will come down to pick up him up?” Ava wondered as she pushed the button to the elevator.

_”Of course, Miss.”_

”Love you, FRIDAY,” Ava replied as she got into the elevator and choose the 

G-floor.

One thing she didn't like with the elevator was the fact that it only low-key played AC/DC when it came from the top floors since her dad had an obsession for that band. Not that she had anything against the band itself, she had just grown tired of hearing Back in Black almost every day when using the elevator.

One thing she found a bit awkward was when the thing stopped at another level that she hadn't planned on going off on, meaning that others were boarding. She didn't always take the private elevator, after all.

”… gotta get home to five, got kids and all, nowadays—” one man told his newer colleague, only to silence when he spotted her, much to her embarrassment.

She certainly disliked whenever workers shut up and stiffened up just because she was a Stark. But she was completely certain on that she had heard one of them whisper that they hated AC/DC, which made her almost chuckle.

”If it makes you feel better, gentlemen, you’ll get used to it,” Ava stated as they came down to ground floor, making both of them raise their eyebrows but not uttering a word until she had gone out.  
She could bet on that they whispered about it right now.

Much to her surprise, she spotted a brown haired boy stand and discuss with the receptionist, while she herself could catch something that sounded like ’can’t get up there.’

”Sir, I have to, I-I’ve got a g-group assignment with her,” Peter stuttered just before he spotted her and immediately relaxed.

”Mr. Trevor, he’s my study buddy, he's legit,” Ava explained and gave the man a small smile.

”Excuse me for interfering then, Miss Stark,” he apologized, with her simply waving it away as a ’no worries.’

”Sorry about that, Peter,” Ava apologized as they got into the elevator before Ava pushed the top floor button.

”It’s cool,” Peter mumbled, just as Ava spotted a large bruise on the side of his right eye, much to her concern.

”What the hell happened to you? Did you get punched on the way here?” Ava wondered and frowned.

It was then Peter seemed to have noticed that he actually did have a bruise, because he widened his eyes and cast a glance at her slightly panicked.

”No, uh, this, yeah,” he rambled and made her raise her eyebrow confused.

”There was this guy from Brooklyn—I think his name was Steve— and this other guy who was like 6’3 or something. He was huge! Like, huge!”

If it hadn't been for the fact that Steve had last been in Berlin and Siberia, Ava would have thought that Peter had run into Steve Rogers, if Steve had been the person who punched civilians.

”But you're okay, right?” Ava asked worried and tilted her head.

”Yeah, but what about you? Have you seen your face, what did _you_ do yesterday?” Peter asked stunned as his brown eyes fell down on the bruise on her jaw.

 _I accidentally got smacked by a giant called Scott_ , Ava wanted to say, but kept quiet, it was just stupid.

”I woke up with a headache, then I realized that I was lying on the floor,” she simply lied and shrugged, which did make her shoulders ache.

”Anyway, we’ve got some arnica in the medicine cabinet, we can cover ourselves in that before we begin to write, shall we?”

Peter nodded slowly as the doors opened up and revealed the living floor, which made him almost get a heart attack by just walking into it.

”Holy shit!” he mumbled as Ava led him to one the bathrooms, which made his eyes almost widen to the size of dinner plates.

”I know, it’s crazy, and we are only two people,” Ava said (once three, she added silently in her head) and opened the cabinet to reveal dozens of medical stuff, which had definitely increased since she had become Strike.

The amounts of painkillers and other stuff that would increase the healing factor was enough to drug a whole family.

”Let’s see, some arnica gel… And please sit down,” Ava asked him and gestured to the enormous sink of marble.

”Gosh, doesn't look good, but please say that you at least hit them once.”

Peter chuckled slightly as she handed him the tube so he could apply the gel on his bruise, before he handed her the tube to fix her own bruise. She loved to feel the gel work its magic on her skin.

”Yeah, got in a few good hits, actually,” he admitted and smiled shyly as they walked out of the bathroom and into her room.

”Well, that’s awesome,” Ava stated and cleared her desk from any old papers down on the floor.

She could always fix it later.

”So… Let’s continue with this, shall we?”

They worked for over an hour and a half, where most of the work they had to do was research, because using FRIDAY would be considered cheating. Besides, explaining Bruce’s work in a much simplified way was easy, both Peter and Ava spent twenty minutes laughing as they tried to dumb down their calculations in case their teacher would believe that they had been cheating, which they actually hadn’t. Ava knew two geniuses and was a genius herself, sort of, while Peter freaking was one himself. That person would definitely be able to become the new Banner or Hawkings in the future.

”You should have seen those two working together,” Ava stated as they sat in her bed while they simply babbled on about everything.

”My dad and Bruce were often down in the lab for days without anything but dad’s green smoothies. This one time, I—”

She didn't have the time to say anything more, because right in that moment, one of her books fell down from the shelf and made her curse lowly.

”Hold on,” she said and rose up from the bed to pick up the book.

Much to her surprise, it wasn't one of her many literature books, which she at first had suspected it to be. 

Instead, it was an old photo album.

”Is it whole?” Peter asked her slightly worried and turned around as she came back with it in her arms and fell down in the bed beside him.

”Yeah, just… Look at this!” Ava said and opened the thing up to reveal lots of old photos.

”I haven't looked into this since forever… God, I'm gonna embarrass myself so much in front of you now.”

There were photos, lots of them. Pictures with both herself, Tony, Rhodey, Happy, Pepper… Gosh, she missed Pepper so much. 

Ava had even gotten pics of the Avengers, which she actually could remember, whenever she had gotten a chance to take a picture of something, and down the photo went into the book.

”So you know the Avengers?” Peter asked stunned as they looked at a picture with Ava goofing around with Clint.

She was pretty damn sure that had been the first time she had called him pigeon.

”Yeah, my dad was an Avenger, after all. It was hard to _not_ see them,” Ava admitted and shrugged while Peter seemed to be in some sort of crisis.

”That’s still awesome,” he stated as Ava flipped a page and had to stifle a small gasp.

She had definitely never seen that photo before, how many times did she actually miss it? How could she even have missed it?

”Holy shit,” she mumbled and eyed the photo stunned while Peter looked a bit puzzled at first.

”What is— Shit!”

The photo was quite old, it wasn't as old as one of Tony’s old photos from the 90’s, but it wasn't from 2010 or younger. The Tony on the picture looked younger than today’s Tony, but it was still the same beard, heck, it was still the same glasses. But less dark circles under his eyes, more carelessness. This must have been one of the peaks of his playboy life.

She wasn't so sure Peter must have noticed it, at least not as much as she herself had, but she could spot it on his face that he was surprised.

”Is that really Mr. Stark?” he wondered stunned and made her nod, while she herself was fixating on the woman beside him.

She wasn't tall, because she barely reached her father’s chin, and her father wasn't that tall (or maybe Ava had gotten used to tall super soldiers) but that woman definitely seemed to be in his own age. But the thing with her was how alike she and Ava were. They even had the same freaking eye shade, but Ava’s complexion was slightly lighter than the woman’s. Otherwise they could have been the same person in different ages.

”Do you think that’s your…” Peter began and trailed off while Ava’s mind began to process what she saw.

According to her father —who had been slightly drunk when meeting her— Ava’s mom’s name had been something on S, and she had been from Mexico. That woman had been half the reason why Ava had chosen to learn Spanish when she had been five years old. Well, more than just speaking it at home with Tony. 

”Have you ever been in contact with, uh, your mom? If you don't mind me asking.”

Ava shook her head slightly while she still wondered how the hell she hadn't seen that picture before.

”No, the last time dad saw her was when she knocked on his door and handed me over to him. Something about not being able to handle a child,” Ava said but didn't feel angry over that.

Ava had just been happy that her birth mother had chosen to send her off to a caring parent instead of forcing herself to raise Ava. She had been the one who’d carried Ava for nine months, not Tony, after all.

”Anyway… What’s the time?” 

Peter, who had been watching her with widened brown eyes, seemed to perk up and cast a glance at the clock on her wall.

”Uh… 5 pm,” he told, making her raise her eyebrows surprised.

”Huh, that was a surprise,” Ava stated, just as she could hear FRIDAY’s soothing Irish voice.

_”Miss Stark, your father is arriving to the Tower right now, he’s 30 feet from landing.”_

Siberia, Ava immediately thought and rose up from the bed, with Peter following her confused. She had to know if everything had gone all right, if Steve and Bucky were okay.

”I’m never going to get used to that,” Peter mumbled while Ava thanked FRIDAY, which sort of was unnecessary since FRIDAY didn't have any feelings, unlike Ultron.

”You should have met JARVIS,” Ava replied as they waited outside the balcony, where they could spot a helicopter land just outside.

The man arriving from the helicopter looked almost nothing like the Tony from the photo. This one had been punched, with two cuts in his face along with that black eye from earlier. It didn't look good, not at all.

But the second Tony spotted Peter beside her, he immediately straightened up and tried to play it confident, but to Ava’s dismay, but she didn't say anything.

”Oh, Mr. Parker,” he called and made Ava raise her eyebrow suspiciously and look at both her father and study buddy.

”Mr. Stark, uh, nice to see you again,” Peter greeted him while looking slightly nervous.

Was her suspicions true? Had Tony scared that poor boy like when Ava had been forced to study with Flash Thompson on a project? Not that she had minded _that_ , scaring Thompson had simply been amusing. 

But scaring Peter? No, he wouldn't have. The chance of Ava and Peter dating was a big as Peter being Spider-Man.

”Hold on a second… How the hell do you two know each other?” Ava demanded and set her eyes on her father, who didn't seem phased about it, at all.

Maybe he had gotten used to scaring teenage boys a long time ago.

”Yeah, you know— the September Foundation. We’re buddies now,” Tony stated and smirked at Peter, who seemingly began to relax for some odd reason.

”Well, that’s awesome!” Ava said and smiled at Peter.

”You deserve it.”

”Thanks,” Peter said and smiled back as her dad came towards him and put arm on his shoulders, much to Ava’s confusion, especially when he led him out towards the elevator.

”How about I give you a ride home?” Tony said.

And that was the last thing she heard him say before the doors closed behind them.


	9. Five minutes

Going out for a walk wasn't a thing Ava did often, but she definitely needed some fresh air (or at least as fresh as the air in New York could be) after hours in the Tower plus all that time in the jet and before that Clint’s van and chopper. Sitting on  the rooftop of a building and balancing a sketchpad in her lap was even more relaxing, especially during this time of the day where most people came to the cafe to eat.

”How’s it going?” a familiar voice asked and almost made Ava drop her sketchpad, only to look into a pair of large white eyes beside her.

”Holy crap!” she exclaimed stunned while she tried to cover the drawing from Spidey embarrassed.

Not that he knew that he knew her, it was just awkward when people looked at her sketches, even if they weren't bad. It was sad that they couldn't talk like they had done on the jet, since he didn't know about her identity, otherwise she would have commented something about him stalking her. But since it was the first time Ava Stark met Spider-Man and not as Strike, she decided to play it cool.

”So _you're_ the famous Spider-Man I’ve heard so much about,” Ava said and tilted her head slightly as she studied him for a short second.

”Don’t remember that suit, though. Didn't you wear big dark glasses before?”

”I had an upgrade,” he stated and shrugged.

”What’s your name?”

Ava smirked at him slightly as she tried to discreetly put away her sketchpad before she answered his question.

”Is it really that nice to ask a lady for her name after scaring her?” Ava asked with a sugar-sweet voice, which made him stare at her for a moment.

”Oh, uh, I’m sorry for scaring you at first. Just a bit curious on what you were doing, that’s all,” he rambled flustered and almost made her laugh slightly.

”And I thought you were hot too, so…”

”Thanks… I guess?” Ava said and immediately got reminded of the day before yesterday when he’d called her hot, even though he only had seen her mouth and a small part of her nose.

”The name is Ava, by the way. And you are…?”

”Sorry, I'm keeping my own name to myself, thanks,” Spidey replied, with Ava simply shrugging.

”Nah, it's cool, can understand that,” Ava assured him and picked up her sketch pad again, he'd see it anyway, no reason to try to hide it then.

”So, what is a spider like you doing on a rooftop like this?”

Spidey looked at her confused and made her chuckle slightly as she continued to sketch the building in front of her. 

”Are you… _flirting_ with me?” he asked stunned before Ava began to laugh even more as she erased a part of the sketch she didn't like.

How could a line become _that_ wobbly?

”Well, in my defense, you were the one who called me hot, so…” Ava stated and shrugged.

”But that was just the truth,” Spidey protested, which again made the heat creep up in her face as she tried to hide a small smile from growing even wider while continuing to work on the windows.

Unfortunately, instead of just casting a glance at her drawing, the little shit seemed to bring all of his attention to the paper, much to her exasperation. Once again, she didn't like when people looked at her drawings, not even her dad (even though he’d used one of her drawings to design her suit) who often joked about that Ava should draw him standing like Hamlet but in Iron Man mode.

She had done it once.

”Dang, that’s not bad!” Spidey stated as he moved closer to her to examine the paper, even though she was pretty damn sure that he could see without being a feet from it.

”You could be the new Da Vinci.”

Ava sniggered as she had begun to shade the whole thing, which was her favorite part of sketching since it gave the stuff some depth. She loved it.

”I don't think so,” Ava stated and smudged out some shadow with her fingertip carefully.

”It’s not like I’ve created something cool, like dad’s new arc reactor or Iron Man suits. I’m just Tony Stark’s kid who hasn't built a motorcycle engine when she was seven years old.”

”Not really, I mean, I know that you're Mr. Stark’s daughter, but you're still yourself, you know,” Spidey began.

”I think you're cool.”

Ava raised her eyebrow suspiciously as she watched the masked boy beside her puzzled. Did he know her identity? 

”Dude, you can’t just say that I'm cool after just five minutes,” Ava stated and shook her head.

”Sure I can, I just did,” Spidey stated before he suddenly perked up, making Ava freeze by his sudden stiffness.

”What the hell is going on?”

Unfortunately, he didn't answer. Instead, he took a grip of her waist and jumped down with her before he shot out a string of web. The next second, they were on the side of the building,with Spidey holding onto the surface with his weird spider power while he still had his arm around Ava’s waist. If she had been most people, she probably would have begun to demand why he had swooped them on the side of a skyscraper and begun to panic, but Ava kept her silence as she could hear footsteps above them.

”I swore I could have seen him only ten seconds ago,” a low-pitched male voice grumbled under his breath annoyed but after a few seconds began to walk down the stairs.

”One of your buddies?” Ava asked when she was entirely sure on that they weren't being followed.

”He’s been trying to follow me for days now, don't know what his problem is,” Spidey stated and looked down on the street, which was perhaps a hundred feet below.

”By the way, how the hell did you get up here?”

”I climbed and used my super duper parkour skills,” Ava stated and grinned, which had been a lie.

She might have used her powers once or twice to get to that roof…

”It’s not like everyone here has holes in their wrists to shoot out webs exactly.”

”I don't have any holes!” Spidey exclaimed insulted and tried to show her his wrist without accidentally dropping her.

And there it is, the web shooter she remembered clearly from the airport fight. Those webs had been stickier than chewed gum, and would almost have been impossible to rip off with her hands. Which was why she had been so happy that her energy blades had been able to do the job for her.

”Web shooters?” she questioned, which made Spidey nod.

”That’s actually really smart _and_ cool.”

”I know, right! I mean, I was the one who developed the web formula, but then Mr. Stark came and upgraded my web shooters, which was kind of cool.”  
”Hold on, my _dad_ did this?” Ava interrupted and frowned, even though she had known it since Germany, making Spidey stiffen.

”Yeah, I went on a mission with him two days ago, that was awesome.”  
Yes, it was, Ava thought and smiled, which he seemed to notice. Even though his mask covered his face, she was pretty darn sure that he was confused.

”Why are you smiling from nowhere?” he asked puzzled and made Ava turn that smile into a Stark smirk.

”Because I'm in the arms of the ’Amazing’ Spider-Man,” she said dramatically as Spidey snorted.

”Very funny,” he grumbled.

”Hey, you wanna get a ride home? This ride may not have cup holders, but it’s got an awesome view.”

Ava shrugged, why not? She didn't have to walk or run in the shadows to get home, so that was a plus.

”Sure, thanks,” Ava told as Spidey shot away a new string and jumped from the building.

Even though she could fly herself with her psychic energy thing, she had to admit that swinging from building to building in the arms of a teenage spider did freak her out slightly. 

And she wasn't talking about the spider.

”Crap, you're so gonna drop me!” Ava exclaimed with genuine worry and clung to the spandex wearing vigilante like a koala.

”Relax, I won’t drop you, I've been swinging like this for months,” Spidey said and laughed slightly.

”You’ve got extra weight now,” Ava reminded him and pushed away the memory of that plane bridge he’d managed to hold without turning into a pancake.

He hadn't supposed to hold that thing carefully at least.

”You mean you? Nah, it’s cool, can barely feel you,” Spidey stated calmly as they swung by the office of Daily Bugle, much to Ava’s own dismay, she hated that newspaper.

Ever since she had begun her career as Strike, Jameson had been publishing shit about her, and had recently begun to trash Spidey. On the other hand, that man had been publishing stuff about all the enhanced vigilantes in New York anyway. At least they hadn't had any problems with burning skeletons riding motorcycles.

”You know, before I met you, I hadn't thought you were going to be so…” Ava began before she got interrupted by Spidey.

”Charming, strong, both?” he said and made her roll her eyes.

”Young,” she finished, which he snorted at.

”Young? I bet that I'm just as old as you… How old are you again?”

”Born 2001,” Ava stated.

”Told ya,” Spidey continued and made Ava laugh as they landed on the balcony of the Tower.

It was sad that he could swing so quickly, she liked his company.

”Well, thanks for the ride, Spidey,” Ava told and smiled, as she realized that she had used the nickname she used as Strike.  
Hopefully the nickname Spidey wasn't so unique.

”Was my pleasure,” Spidey said and was about to jump down from the building (like she sometimes could do) before he turned back to her.

”Say hi to Mr. Stark from me.”

”Yeah, of course,” Ava replied and waved goodbye as the web swinger jumped down from the building before he swung away.

 

”You met Spider-Boy again? As you? Wow, this is so confusing,” Tony stated a couple hours later while he was messing around in the bar, much to her dislike.

”Yeah, he doesn't know who I am, right?” Ava asked concerned and looked at her father suspiciously.

”Just as much as you know who he is,” her dad said and shrugged before he grabbed the bottle and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

”But you know who he is?” Ava asked, making Tony nod.

”Yeah, but I swore to the holy bro code that I wouldn't tell a soul,” he replied dramatically, just as Ava could hear someone knock on the glass door to the balcony, which made Ava rise up from the chair to check it out.

The thing was only that there wasn't anyone outside. But when Ava finally spotted it, she let out a noise of delight when she saw it. Gosh, that she had almost dropped the sketch pad over there.

There was a post-it note on the front, which immediately triggered Ava’s curiosity as  she took it off to read it, and almost began to smirk.

_I told you that I could be charming._

_— Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man._


	10. Fetish

”So, no fireworks?” MJ asked the next day in the cafeteria, making Ava snort as she set her fork into her lunch.

”Nope, definitely not,” Ava stated and rolled her eyes while MJ and Liz were laughing.

Couldn't she study with Peter Parker without getting any wolf-whistles? No, she couldn’t, but she knew they were only joking, so…

”But I see some sparks between you and Peter, Liz. You’d be cute together.”

Liz snorted and looked at her like she had gone crazy.

”No, definitely not,” Liz said and shook her head while Ava was chuckling slightly.

”I mean, he's cute, but I don't really know him much. Besides, I’m not into him, no matter how cute he is.”

Ava shrugged nonchalantly while simply letting her mind wander while the rest of the girls continued to chat on about boys (with everyone agreeing on that MJ and Harry Osborn were the OTP of the school). She still wasn't entirely sure if she would patrol around in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens or Bronx, Staten Island was so far away anyway. 

Maybe Brooklyn, it was after all Steve’s childhood home, and without Captain America, some people maybe needed a Strike to look out for them.

What she also found slightly amusing, was how oblivious Liz was of whenever Peter or Ned Leeds looked at her dreamily, even though it was more obvious than that her name was Stark.

”… But I don't know, Flash mentioned something about movie, do you think it means something or not? I mean, it’s _Flash_ ,” Liz said and made Ava get back to reality.

”I mean, I don't know about you, but hasn't he looked at me a couple seconds longer than normal?”

Flash Thompson, really? Ava thought and wanted to roll her eyes so hard. That guy was the jerk of the jerks, at least to those he believed were below him, which meant people that didn't own any Gant clothes or the likes. But Liz maybe thought that he was a good guy, at least to her.

”Liz, you've been rambling on about Flash for ages now!” Sally exclaimed and face palmed.

”Just go on that freaking movie with him and make this world a better place.”

”Definitely, you’d look cute together,” MJ agreed, with Ava simply nodded while only engaging herself halfheartedly in the conversation.

”Yeah,” Ava told and smirked.

”Hey, can you pass the salt?”

 

”Okay class, we’re going to do something fun this last day for the year!” Mr. Peterson announced as he dumped a sack of gloves on the floor.

”As all of you know, I'm a huge fan of UFC, but my boss hasn't let me do this until all of us has become more… comfortable with each other. But today, my friends, are we going to try some MMA ourselves, just for fun.”

While some guys and girls groaned slightly, some were actually quite excited over it, including Ava herself. It had been a long time since she had gotten to train, she was certain on that she wouldn’t get the chance now since both Nat, Steve were on the run, while the rest of them were imprisoned at the Raft. Rhodey was still in hospital while both her dad and Happy were more of boxers (Happy called MMA dirty boxing).

”All right, I'm just gonna quickly go through some rules before I will demonstrate some techniques myself. After that, I’ll just pair you all randomly and let you go nuts on each other,” Peterson stated (what a good way to teach, Ava thought) before he began to explain fouls along with that they would not use very hard kicks and punches, or otherwise he’d get the principal on his ass.

”Just let me get you together in some pairs now, let’s see… Allan and Avril, Watson and Richardson…”

Impatience almost bubbled in Ava as the teacher sorted everyone in pairs, until the last two standing were her and Peter, much to her and Peterson’ surprise.

”Well, since it’s you and Parker left, you two will have to do,” he stated and tossed them the last pairs of gloves.

”Just don't kill him, Stark.”

Ava rolled her eyes as she put on the gloves (brand new, thank god) and pushed away a piece of hair from her face while smiling slightly at her partner in front of her. 

”You’ve done this before?” she wondered as they both raised their fists while watching each other closely.

”Does watching UFC count?” Peter asked and made Ava laugh as she went for the first hit, which he dodged easily.

”Don’t think so,” Ava said and smirked before she went for another hit in his side.

And of course, he blocked it scarily quickly.

”Are you sure you haven't done this before?” Ava asked many minutes later while both of them kept on hitting or kicking each other.

”I mean, your reflexes are scarily good!”

Peter shrugged as he went in for grabbing her neck, which resulted in her twisting around to get out of the grip before she punched him softly in his stomach.

”Beginner’s luck, I guess,” he stated as Ava sent another hit towards his face.

The next second, both of them had managed to fall down on the floor, with their faces only inches from each other, making Ava blush slightly as he was lying on her.

”Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I-I didn't mean to—” Peter stuttered horrified, just before Ava rolled over with him still over her. 

Gosh, her body would ache after this, goddammit Germany.

”It’s okay, it’s only MMA,” Ava said and got up when Peterson yelled at them to take a lap before ending the lesson.

”But this was fun,” she added as they began their lap together, with both of them being a couple of feet away from the rest of them.  
”Have you been taking steroids again, Stark?” Peterson yelled and made Ava roll her eyes and turn off the energy when she ran to decrease the speed as Peter did the same thing while looking concerned for some odd reason.

”What is it with that man and steroids?” she muttered and made Peter snort with laughter before they separated to go into the locker rooms, where Ava had already showered when the others came back.

”You gotta tell me your secret one day,” MJ joked after she had come back from the shower with her red hair dripping with water.

Fish oil pills and a lot of genes, Ava thought.

”I’m Batman,” she simply said with a smirk.

”Right,” she replied and hastily changed into her normal clothes before they got out of the locker room.

”The chance is at least bigger than you being Strike, at least.”

Gosh how wrong she was.

 

The rest of the afternoon was pretty chill with English and some French, where Ava had almost called her teacher something in French that certainly was not a pretty word in neither English or French. Luckily for her, MJ managed to kick her shin before that had happened.

Ava and the rest of the girls later spent their afternoon at MJ’s, which mostly consisted of lots of discussions about Flash and the boys, whether the boys in their age or older were boyfriend material. Liz and MJ had of course chosen Flash and Osborn each, with Ava saying something about not interested in a guy for now while Sally was still stuck in her Thor crush (’Have you seen those arms? Gosh!’) which made Ava smirk and miss the Asgardian a lot, even though he’d been gone for a year and more now.

”If we’re going to continue talking about celebrity crushes, then we can’t forget Captain America,” MJ stated and sighed dramatically, making Ava grin at her amused while the rest of them nodded in agreement.

Steve and his army of fangirls, even more dangerous than the Avengers themselves.

”True that, but Thor’s got a beard,” Sally added and made Liz groan.

”What is it with you and beards?” she questioned exasperated but began to laugh.

”I think it’s a fetish, you know, like those people who have foot fetishes,” Ava said and laughed while Sally glared at them both jokingly.

”Like you guys don't have a fetish,” she protested and made everyone quiet down to think of a fetish they themselves had.

”Eyes,” MJ finally called out.

”Hair.”

”Hands,” Ava admitted and made everyone look at her weirdly.

”What? Sally has a _beard_ fetish!”

”Nothing,” MJ said but smirked, making Ava frown puzzled but she quickly dropped it, just as her phone buzzed in her back pocket.

_Shouldn't you've been home an hour ago?_

_—Dad_

Ava groaned slightly but did as he’d said and rose up from MJ’s bed as she met the girls’ puzzled eyes.

”Your dad?” Sally asked (making Ava recall that time when she had heard Sally call her dad’s beard hot) before Ava nodded with a huff.

”Yeah, I’ll see ya tomorrow,” Ava said and made a quick little wave before she made her way to the hallway and out on the streets, where it thankfully had begun to lighten up naturally without any streetlights.

Not that she herself was afraid of the dark, she was just very aware of the things that could go bump in the night. Otherwise the dark was pretty nice, it often hid the stuff you didn't want people to find, like when changing to a suit and becoming a crimefighting vigilante, like many other people in the city.

And like any other city, a lonely girl in the age of fifteen couldn't walk around alone without being catcalled for wearing a top that showed a small part of her chest.

”Hey, nice pair you've got there!” a young man yelled after her with his gang wolf whistling, which Ava simply ignored as she stashed her phone in her inner pocket of her jacket.

There wasn't much she could do but continue to walk away. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to have planned that.

”You know, you often get a ’thank you’ when getting a compliment,” the guy continued as she was perhaps 3o feet away from them, making her speed up to get away from them as fast as possible.

Without her suit, she couldn't do a thing without getting caught.

”Hey, I was talking to you!”

With that, Ava began to run, afraid to run too fast to be deemed as enhanced, she had almost blown it two times this month already, but she couldn't run slow either, or otherwise they’d get her. 

Her heart pounded in her chest as she accidentally ran into an alley while hoping that they’d lose her, but they didn’t. There were times like this she wished that she lived in a movie where the bad guys simply ran past dark alleys. But it wasn't a movie, far away from a movie.

”Thought you could get away from us, kitten?” he questioned as he and his gang closed the exit for her while forcing her to back into the brick wall.

There were two options, either she screamed for help and had to pray to something to have someone to save her, or she would have to use her powers to get away from them. But that only risked being revealed as Strike, especially if she’d use her powers, which she did not want.

”Can’t you just go and fuck yourselves? Because I'm pretty damn sure that I'm not in the mood,” Ava snapped at them while feeling the energy build up in her body, especially in her hands, like always.

But she hid them quickly from them, in this darkness, psionic energy would glow even more than neon.

”You’ll be,” his pal growled as they only were six feet away from her, she could even feel the stink of alcohol in the air from their breath.

Nice, just peachy, perfect timing with everything.

”Don’t think so,” a person said behind them, making all of them turn around to spot a woman in black clothing, making it hard to see anything.

For some reason, the air around them seemed to cool down while the lights from the street seemed to diminish, making Ava frown confused. It didn't help when Ava could spot black smoke crawl up on the men’s shoulders like snakes before swallowing them up in a black mist. Even though the sound coming from them was so muffled that she was sure that no one else could hear it, Ava heard enough to hear that the men inside the dark cloud were screaming. Although it wasn't in pain, even though it was pretty damn cold outside, no, it was something else. It sounded like they were screaming in… _fear_?

It didn't make anything better as Ava realized that it was the woman who controlled that fear-striking cloud, which could mean two things. Either that woman was a ’normal’ enhanced bugger like some people she’d run into (Daredevil, Spidey, Wanda) or she was an Inhuman. Given the fact that she had never seen an enhanced non Inhuman with those powers (except Wanda) Ava could bet that she was an Inhuman too.

”Okay, thanks for saving me, lady. But I think it is cool now, you can release them,” Ava began slowly, but the Inhuman didn't move a muscle, which the cloud didn't either, if clouds had had muscles anyway.

As the screams increased in strength, Ava’s concern grew slightly. Even though they had been trying to sexually assault her, they shouldn't die for a crime they hadn't committed yet.

”Stop it, that’s enough!” Ava exclaimed horrified as the darkness seemed to thicken this time.

”What the hell are you doing? You're going to kill them!”

”So?” the woman questioned.

She was an Inhuman herself, she knew that exposing Ava wouldn't be good for herself, so Ava guessed that this wouldn't blow her cover _too_ much. The energy that had been sparking inside her body flowed out of her hands and formed itself into a blade, which she sent flying at the woman before it stopped only an inch from her throat. 

”Let them go,” Ava growled as she increased the heat of the blade, making the woman look at her disappointed, but she did what Ava had asked her (threatened her) to do.

With a small wave with her hand, the smoke around the men faded away, making Ava dissolve the blade quickly before they could see it. Without even casting another glance at her, the gang ran out of the alley, leaving her alone with the strange woman in the black jacket, whom Ava wasn't sure if she would consider ally or enemy. Because she was 100% sure that that woman would have killed those men if Ava hadn't threatened her, and Ava wasn't the one for killing people.

”Who the hell are you?” Ava demanded and was ready for a new hit from the stranger in front of her, who didn't attack her at all.

Instead, the woman seemed to decrease the darkness around her before she removed the hood that had been hidden her face during all this time.

She was beautiful the way a blade was, and just as deadly. A pretty face with a nasty scar that ran from the corner of her left eye, down to the corner of her mouth. A soft shade of dark complexion, dark hair. And those eyes, dark brown with flecks of gold, just like her own.

”What a coincidence,” Ava muttered as she looked at the older version of herself.

”You have barely aged a day, mom.”

 


	11. Status: It's complicated

Not once in her life had her birth mother visited her, not even during the Inhumans outbreak where Inhumans had appeared in every corner, which probably should have been something to bond over.

”I can explain,” the woman in front of Ava said slowly as she seemed to darken the area around them, which made Ava suspect that most people would walk by and see nothing.

”You can?” Ava questioned and crossed her arms.

”You know, I never asked you to live with me and dad, but a postcard or just a phone call would have been nice. God, I don't even know your name.”

”Was Stark _that_ drunk that night?” she said and shook her head disappointed.

”Well, he's Stark, what else should I have expected? Anyway, my name is Selena Castello.”  
Tony had said that her name had begun with a S, so it was logical.

”So, Selena,” Ava began slowly as she carefully manifested psionic energy around her hands like fire, fire had always been her thing, ”what the hell is your ability? Is it only umbrakinesis and something that looks like phobikinesis, or do you have something more?”

”Did your father learn you all those fancy words?” Selena questioned with an amused smile grazing her face.

”No, I looked it up on my own, good to know your own people, there are a lot of kinesises,” Ava simply stated and formed the fire around her hands into two 

dagger-like shards, except that they were blue and glowing.

”But was I right or wrong?”

”Almost right,” her birth mother simply stated as the darkness thickened around them without diminish Ava’s own sight.

”I can tap into Dark force, which I would say gives me the ability to manipulate darkness, lower the temperature of a room, plus induce fear by wrapping them in a cocoon of Dark force. I’m sure that you know what Dark force is capable of, don't you?”

Kinda, Ava wanted to tell, but didn’t. She remembered that Ava had heard Peg talk about a time Dark force —or Zero Matter that it had been called before— had appeared in Los Angeles and given her a serious guy problem.

”That’s a great ability, you would be handy in a horror movie,” Ava commented by decided that her daggers wouldn't be necessary, so she simply dropped them on the ground and let them dissolve.

”How long have you had this power?”

”Honestly, ever since I was thirteen years old,” Selena admitted and made Ava raise her eyebrow stunned.

”I was brought up into this, unlike you and many others.”

Even though Selena had explained her powers to Ava, told her that she had grown up with Inhumans in a place called the Afterlife, nothing still made sense. Well, _that_ made sense, she didn't say that Afterlife and her powers were strange, Ava’s abilities were just as weird. 

What she did find confusing was how her own birth mother had managed to avoid them for almost fifteen years. Ava could get if Selena hadn't wanted to live with them, but just saying hi or simply just existing somehow weren't that hard.

”You still haven't answered my question,” Ava brought up and narrowed her eyes slightly.

”Technically I have, I've simply not answered all of them,” Selena stated and made Ava glare at her, but she let her continue.

”Look, I just wanted to have a drink somewhere without Gordon giving me the judgmental look he can give— even though he didn't have any eyes. I hadn't planned that I would meet your father in that bar, even less hook up with him. But gosh, that man was like a genius Casanova—”

”Then you had me,” Ava interrupted and didn't want any details of her parents having sex, even though it felt more like her dad having a one night stand with a stranger than with her mother.

”Why didn't you simply abort me? If you didn't want me, I mean,” Ava told and tilted her head curiously.

”Trust me, Aveline, (”Ava flinched at that, few people used her real name,”) I wanted you, I really did, but the woman in charge in Afterlife, after a certain incident, she simply wasn't the same anymore,” Selena began and shook her head sadly.

”I didn't want to risk you being affected by any of them. So I did what I had to do; I contacted your father. To my own surprise, he agreed. Maybe he had wanted a child too, I don't know.”

The thought of her father wanting a child during his playboy peak surprised her. Hadn’t she simply been a liability then? If she remembered right, Tony had at first had a hard time with taking care of her, leading to Pepper being like a mom to her most of the time. But he had managed too, after a while.

”And has that something to do with not saying hello to me? Us? Once?” Ava demanded, which for some reason made Selena laugh slightly.

”Ava, dear,” her mother began and made Ava glare at her (did she just call her dear?) ,” don’t you think the media would try to follow me around if I went to the Stark Tower to visit my daughter? _Tony Stark’s_ daughter? And if the media would have looked for me in Afterlife, then I would have jeopardized the safety of the Inhumans there, all of them. And you surely remember the chaos of the Inhuman outbreak, along with the ATCU? Imagine them finding out that there had been a civilization of Inhumans right under their noses, during the time when gods and aliens were just myths and fiction.”

The woman in front of her was right, Ava knew that, but still… She still felt a bit salty over it. And she had gotten to know enough.

”Well, thanks again from saving me from the gang, but I'm still planning to go home, I’ll send you a postcard,” Ava said and dug in her bad to find her mask, no one could see her clothes anyway.

”Ava, wait,” Selena said and made Ava stop from flying up in the air for a second, making her turn back to meet her eyes.

”Don’t tell Tony about this. Let this be our little secret, for now.”

Ava raised her eyebrow confused, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she shot up in the air with the help of the energy and left her mother standing below her. But when she looked down in the alley, her mother had disappeared into the darkness.

 

There wasn't much that happened after Ava had met Selena, not even after Steve had managed to break out their friends out of the Raft. On top of that, her dad and Ava had gone away on a little summer vacation to Tahiti, where she had chosen to not use her Strike costume in case the media would put two and two together. Although, she had used another mask, although a very downgraded one. 

A very large, very covering domino mask, along with some face paint and an accent. And most of the time, she used her training clothes instead of her catsuit, because that would have revealing.

Then school came again, and suddenly Ava was in sophomore year, and no longer a freshie, much to her relief. No one liked freshmen, not even the freshmen.

Eventually, she began to adapt to the fact that she had to wake up 7 am almost every morning, even though she loathed it. Getting homework was even worse, but manageable. It still sucked, though. Which was why Ava almost sighed loudly in relief as she came home from school, where she immediately got greeted by FRIDAY.

”FRIDAY, where’s dad?” Ava wondered as she put down her bag on the floor and began to read her book in her bed.

 _”Your father is down in the lab with Peter Parker as we speak, Miss,”_ FRIDAY replied and made Ava raise her eyebrow confused.

”That was a surprise,” she stated and shut the book before she went out of her room to head for the staircase.

_”Miss Stark, should I alert Mr. Stark and Mr. Parker regarding you arrival?”_

”No, it’s okay, FRIDAY. I’ll just surprise them,” Ava replied and went down a couple of steps, where she could hear her father and Peter discuss lowly to each other.

”Gosh, kid, you’re even worse than I thought,” her father muttered.

”This girl —Liz, right?— Does she know who you even are?”

Were they actually having a bro conversation? About Liz? Ava certainly hadn't expected that, even less to feel something clench inside her stomach, almost like something was squeezing her organs. She definitely did not like that feeling, even less being familiar with it.

”Yeah, we’re sort of friends, I hope,” Peter replied nervously, making Ava raise her eyebrow skeptically.

Were Peter and Liz friends? She wasn’t so sure of that. If she knew right, Liz basically just knew that his name was Peter Parker and that he was cute (sort of, according to Liz) nothing else. 

How could he say that they were friends sort of, then? If Liz hadn't gone to extreme lengths to cover up their friendship, Ava would say that Peter was lying. Why getting advice from someone when you already were lying about your status?

”Have you actually done anything to woo her?” Tony asked him skeptically as Ava quietly neared them even more, where she could find them stand in front of each other while leaning over a blue hologram.

”No, well, uh, I talk to her quite regularly,” Peter stated and made Ava shake her head slightly.

She hadn't known that Peter was that desperate to make it sound better than it actually was.

”Oh, you do? Ask her out on a date then, or whatever you kids do nowadays. We definitely should have asked Ava on this, she’s a girl, after all.”

”I don't think that would have been a very smart idea, Mr. Stark—” Peter began slowly, just as Ava revealed herself to them, which seemed to have given her study buddy a small heart attack.

”Am I interrupting anything?” Ava asked as she strolled around in the lab to bring up a hologram of her own, which consisted of a contact lens that could (theoretically) be used as both a phone and a thermal scanner. 

She had actually come up with that idea after watching a couple of spy flicks with MJ and the rest of the girls.

”No, nothing, uh, what is that?” Peter wondered and moved over to look at the very magnified model of the lens, where she had planned to use a nano chip with both graphene and very minimized versions of the things people used to make phones with touch screen.

”Spy lens, sort of,” Ava replied and smirked slightly as his eyes widened and his mouth widening into a smile.

”That’s awesome!” he exclaimed and watched the model spin around in the air slowly.

”But how are you going to charge it?”

Ava smiled at him slightly as she magnified the energy source of the lens, which would be the size of a very crushed peppercorn.

”I thought about that, actually,” Ava admitted as the energy source in the holo began to glow blue, just like her own psionic did.

Probably because she perhaps would use her own energy to do this thing if her idea wouldn't work. Not that Peter wouldn't have to know.

”Inside that thing, I thought of a tiny wire like thread that is copper and graphene sort of braided together since both of them are two of the best electricity conductors we know about, which will create a sort of electric circuit. Along with that, I use the saltwater that the eye produces naturally, where a piece of iron will be oxidizing in, without actually hurting the cornea itself. ”

Peter was quiet the whole time as his eyes were on the handle all the time.

”It’s more of a combination of today’s technology and spy flicks, really,” Ava added as Peter raised his hands slightly.

”This is just a first draft too, I'm still doing improvements before I will try to create it.”

To her surprise, that guy managed to use the holograms almost flawlessly, which she certainly hadn't expected him to do, given the fact that every S. H. I. E. L. D.  agent that wasn't a lab person, had failed completely.

”It’s still awesome, you know,” Peter stated and made Ava smile broadly.

”Thanks,” she replied.

Maybe he could come down here more often.

”What will the lens be made of?”

”Like any other lens really, hydrogels…”

 

”Come on, it’s not funny anymore, Cal! Cal, what the hell are you doing? Stop it!”

Ava looked down below her, only to find a girl, perhaps five years older than herself, being surrounded by a group of men, just as Ava had been only two months ago. The difference between them was simple, Ava could easily have protected herself, while woman below her could not, especially not when there was five men and not only one.

”Hey! Just leave me alone!” she screamed at them as one of the guys took a hold of her bare arm harshly, just when Ava landed just behind the group.

Without saying a word, she began to knock the nearest guy out with her own physical power at first, until she rendered him unconscious by hitting him with the blunt side of a psionic blade, just as she heard the familiar sound of webs being shot out. 

A small smirk played at her lips as she continued to hit the guys around them, with Spidey now joining the fight. Thirteen-seconds later, all of the men were lying on the ground knocked out while the woman was staring at the with her jaw almost down on the ground with them.

”Thank you,” she whispered lowly as tears began to build in her eyes, making Ava’s face expression soften beneath her mask.

”Do you live far away from here?” Ava questioned, making the woman shake her head.

”No, only half a block from here, I’ll be fine, thanks,” she mumbled as she began to leave her and Spidey alone in the thick darkness, where Ava almost expected to see Selena, which she of course wouldn’t.

Ava wouldn't be surprised if she wouldn't meet Selena for a whole year, she hadn't seen that woman for almost fifteen years, after all.

”Some men are just disgusting,” Ava stated and shook her head slowly as she pulled the guys up in a sitting position before she put them together in a large pile of walking dicks.

”Definitely,” Spidey agreed, just as he froze.

”What—” Ava began just as he took a grip of her waist as he shot out a string of web before he jumped up on the roof of the building.

Even with the light around them, she still couldn't see the face of the man appearing where they recently had been, but she certainly did not like how he seemed to look after something.

”Always too late,” the man grumbled angrily before he cast one last glance around himself, before he grudgingly put his hands in his pockets and left the area.

Had she seen that man from before?

”Was that your bestie?” Ava questioned and pointed at the ground where he had stood, making Spidey snort and shake his head.

”Definitely not, he’s my personal stalker. Hasn't he been on your ass yet?” he asked confused and made Ava shake her head.

”Not until now, but I certainly don't like it,” Ava muttered and shook her head.

Who the hell was that guy?

 


	12. Stitches

”Hey Peter,” Ava called as she got on the train and noticed a familiar brown haired boy sitting there too.

”Hey,” he replied with a small smile.

”So, uh, how’s your day been?”

”Uh, pretty good, I guess,” Ava said and shrugged.

”What about you? I heard something about you getting a job. Photographer, right?”

”Yeah,” Peter began and raked his hand through his hair —which Ava had to admit looked pretty hot— ”I sell some photographs of the Spider-Man to the DB.”

Ava raised her eyebrow surprised, that had she not been prepared for. Peter and the DB, against Spidey? What?  
”I thought you liked Spider-Man,” Ava said confused and made Peter shrug.

”Yeah, Spider-Man’s pretty cool, but it’s easy made money, he and I have become sort of buddies nowadays, he doesn't try to strangle me, anyway. But he likes the camera, so it’s not that hard to get a good picture of him. I’m sure I can even make him pose.”

For some reason, Ava began to laugh. Not only because the way he said everything, more because he sounded so casual about it, like he met Spidey every day, not even she did it as Strike. And she met him a lot of times in the city.

”What?” he wondered confused and made her smile at him.

”It’s just… You’re so cool about it. Most people would either freak out or fangirl if they met Spider-Man.”

Peter shrugged nonchalantly as the train stopped from nowhere and made Ava almost fall into his lap. Her face reddened slightly as she hastily tried to get up again. If MJ had been there to see it… She would have been screwed. 

”Hey, uh, you know this biology test on Tuesday?” Peter began as he rose up from his seat before he stopped and turned around.

”Maybe we could get to my place, and, you know, study for it. You can crash at my place too, if you want to.”

Ava widened her eyes slightly, they had never ever studied before outside a group project, ever. But why not? Peter was nice, and funny. And most of the times had ended with a movie after they had been done, so that was nice.

”If it’s not too much for you, I guess you're busy— I mean, maybe you and MJ would do something tonight but…” Peter rambled and blushed slightly as she interrupted him.

”Yeah, I’d love to, Peter,” Ava replied with a smile and cast a glance at the doors.

”But I would hurry out of the train, if I were you.”  
With that, Peter let out a small yell of panic before he dashed out before the train could close.

”See you later, Ava!” he yelled before the doors could close, leaving Ava with a smile playing at her lips.  
She couldn't have a crush on Peter, right?

 

”Hey, dad,” Ava said as she sat on the rooftop again.

 _”Where the hell are you, kid? You do know that I called you almost half an hour ago?”_ Tony demanded.

”I ran into some complications, but I'm fine,” Ava explained and rolled her eyes, stupid barking dog.

”I’m just going to do some Strike stuff, you know. Then I'm going to crash at Peter’s place, we’re going to study.” 

 _”You’ve been awfully a lot with Parker,”_ he remarked and made her roll her eyes.

”Our school likes to put us together on group projects, that’s all,” Ava lied.

She was almost completely sure that her dad was glaring at his phone while they were talking.

 _”Fine, it’s Saturday tomorrow, anyway,”_ her father stated.

_”Be careful, kiddo.”_

”Always,” she simply replied and hung with a small sigh.

”So, dear New York, what do you have in store for me this time?” Ava questioned before she jumped off the building to patrol a bit randomly, making sure that there wasn't any robbers, muggers, rapists, and so on. And so far, so good.

It was nice to see that one had gotten hurt, but it was also kind of annoying when she only flew around like an idiot without anything to do. Although, she was pretty damn sure that she could spot Daredevil in some corner, but she just flew past and continued to search after bad guys. She still got half an hour left before going to Peter’s place so…

”What the hell are you doing!” 

That immediately made Ava perk up and look down below her. And there it was, trouble. Which this time consisted of a couple of men beginning throw punches at each other. 

”Come on, Mac, let’s go! The hell, you're drunk!” one of them yelled at the other man, who had begun the fight,

At least, it seemed like it, she wasn't entirely sure, but it surely wasn't good. Especially when one of them took out a knife, that was never good.

”Gosh, I hate drunken brawls,” Ava muttered and swooped down to land right behind them, just before the one with the knife had managed to cut someone.

Like she had expected, the armed guy threw a punch at her, with his knife, which she managed to catch with her hand, barely. That had just been pure luck. And if she hadn't used her forcefield to stop most of his blow, then she would have been screwed.

”That was unexpected,” Ava said sarcastically and hit him in the jaw.

But for some odd reason, the other guys around her didn't seem to simply watch the show. Instead, the men around her seized her arms before the knife-bearing man began to hit her in the face, right below her eye. 

She maybe could create force fields that kept her from dying when falling down somewhere (like at that airport) but that didn't mean that she almost could have the time to do it. Especially when her head felt like it was going to crack like an egg, mental power didn't work so well then.

”Something tells me that this isn't a random thing, right?” Ava questioned, just before she got a new hit, but this time just by her mouth, which made Ava groan out in pain.

”Nope, definitely not,” Ava grumbled as she could taste metal and salt under the mask.

”Before you, mister, continue to hit me again, I suggest that you really should back away from me.”

”And why so?” the man questioned and made Ava freeze for a second, that voice!   
She recognized that voice, hadn't that guy tried to spy on them before? Was he some sort of spy or just a really violent stalker?

”Because this can give you a real headache,” Ava replied and managed to light up one of her hands with the blue glow before she shaped it into a baton, which she used to get off the men from her arms.

”Trust me, honey, I’ve been doing this for a year.”

Even though she wasn't a super soldier like Steve, or had the skills of Black Widow, being trained by the latter really helped a lot. The next twenty seconds, the guys who’d been holding her arms were down on the ground unconscious or groaning in pain.

”Can’t you just not be good at this?” Ava exclaimed exasperated before she managed a sucker punch in her puncher’s face, leaving her alone on the dead quiet street with a bad cut in the side and a hit right by the mouth. 

The problem was that it wasn't too smart to go home now, she would spill too much blood on the way. Plus, they had begun to live in the Facility. And the closest place she could get to that she was sure was safe— was Peter Parker’s apartment. 

”Well, this will be a nice evening,” Ava mumbled to herself as she went into a very dark alley to change her clothes into her normal ones.

To make sure it looked more believable, Ava tore in her tee where she had been cut, making it look like she had been hurt as herself and not Strike. When she was sure that she had made a good enough excuse, she made her way up to Peter’s apartment and knocked on his door. 

Much to her relief, it was Peter who opened the door and not May, who she was sure would freak out. Not that Peter was any better, his eyes became as large plates as they landed on her face and later the blood that had begun to soak her tee.

”W—what happened? Did someone hurt you? Wait, come in here, I think we have some first aid kit somewhere. D-does it hurt? No, stupid question,” Peter stuttered out as he basically led her into the bathroom and ordered her to sit down on the toilet lid while he opened a cabinet to take out a first aid.

”There was this gang, dicks really, but I'm fine,” Ava told as she tried to keep it nonchalant.

”That doesn't look like fine,” Peter replied nervously as he began to soak the cotton in some rubbing alcohol.

He then carefully set his hand on the other side of her lips as support, his thumb brushing her bottom lip softly. The warmth radiating from him… Ava just wanted to close her eyes and simply relax under his touch, before the alcohol-soaked cotton met her skin and made her hiss by the stinging pain.

”I’m so sorry, Ava!” he said and seemed to freak out.

”No, it’s okay, thanks for doing this,” Ava told and smiled slightly to show him that she wouldn't die.

”Of course I would do it for you,” he quickly replied and blushed as he realized what he’d said, which made Ava redden too.

”Uh, anyway, uh, can you, um, can you stand up and, uh… Lift your shirt?”

Ava nodded slightly but winced as she rose up and exposed the cut on her midriff, which seemed to look worse than she really felt, but it was enough to make Peter pale.

”I think you need some stitches for that,” Peter mumbled as he opened the cabinet again, revealing a curved needle and some thread. 

”I have only done this once or something, maybe we should get you to a hospital or something—”

”No, not hospital, they would have to contact my dad, and he would kill me,” Ava interrupted quickly as she cast a nervous glance at the shining needle in Peter's hands. 

He had nice hands, Ava noticed. 

”Um, okay, but I'm not good at this, and it will hurt,” Peter warned her as he began to sterilize the needle with alcohol. 

”Please don't scream, May’s out tonight, but I don't want to freak out the neighbors.”

Ava nodded slowly as Peter carefully set the needle on her skin, before the sharp metal went through her skin and out. It did hurt, it was a bit disgusting, and she did want to cry out. But for Peter’s sake, Ava simply let out a small hiss whenever the needle went through her skin. Although she hadn't expected that Peter could stitch wounds.

”I'm sorry!” Peter exclaimed as Ava breathed out more forced as the thread went through her flesh again. 

”No, I’m fine,” Ava replied and cast a glance at it, almost half of the cut was sewn. 

”How did you even get this?” he wondered as the needle went through her skin again which made Ava wince.

”I was on a street the wrong time when a gang had begun to fight. Then I somehow got involved before one of them cut me with a knife. But I got away,” Ava lied and shrugged while wondering if they still were lying on the pavement knocked out or not.  
She hoped that they had run away, otherwise she would have a hard time to explain if someone would see them.

”This was not a good way to start our evening.”

Peter let out a weird noise which immediately made Ava glance at him confused before she heard the snap of a scissor below her.

”You’re okay, so that’s good,” Peter stated as he dabbed some more rubbing alcohol on the stitches before he nodded to Ava, who dropped the shirt over her midriff again.

”Yeah… You know what? I have my stuff in the hallway, I'm just going to get them, I need to change tee.”

”No, I can go and get them, you can go to my room,” Peter told her and rose before they went out, but in different directions, with Ava heading to his room instead of the hallway while being slightly touched that he had gone to get her bag.

”Thanks,” Ava said to him as he handed her the bag and smiled slightly as she plopped down on his bed with her bag in her hand before she put it down on the floor after taking out some papers and books, along with a tank top.

”Could you, uh, turn away?” Ava wondered as she positioned herself by the door, casting a glance at Peter, whose eyes once again were widened.

”Yeah, of course, take your time,” Peter assured and turned away from her.

Even though Ava knew that Peter wasn't looking at her, she still felt a bit exposed by just standing in a bra and her jeans. Not that she was insecure when it came to her body, she had just gotten slightly more paranoid ever since that gang had planned to rape her, before her mother had come and saved her ass.

But still, it was Peter for goodness’ sake! He seemed to be as sexually harmful as a goldfish, and not because of his physique —because she knew that he was shredded beneath that pizza t-shirt— but because he felt like a good guy.

When she had changed clothes completely, from her ripped tee and blood stained jeans, into a tank top and a pair of sleeping shorts, she sat down beside Peter again, this time with a couple of books in her hands.

”It’s okay, you can turn back now,” Ava stated before she opened up the thickest one.

”Okay, so… I’ve got some questions from the books we can practice on. At first, it’s the more easier questions like the difference between a meiosis and a mitosis, what RNA is, yada yada. Then there are some more ethical questions, like if you should modify human genes or not.”

Peter snorted slightly while Ava was thinking about that Kree experiment on the Inhuman ancestors, along with the rest of the enhanced people she had heard or knew. The question if people should do it or not should have been questioned ages ago, before people actually could genetically modify other humans.  
Well, too late for that.

”Sounds good to me, even though the genetically modifying thing is a bit too late, nowadays,” Peter stated and rolled his eyes.

”What was the first question again?”

After a couple hours consisted of answering the questions, testing each other, some extra reading in the books, extra questions about today’s technology —along with some short pauses— they were done with studying for the biology test. Wouldn't be too hard, Ava hoped.

”I don't know why, but I really want to watch Harry Potter,” Ava announced as she sat in the bed while Peter was rummaging through the DVDs he had.

”Maybe because it was September 1 yesterday,” Peter replied and grinned at her, making Ava laugh at her own stupidness.

”When your instincts know better than your own brain,” she stated and shook her head as Peter inserted the disc into the DVD player before he fell down in the couch beside her, careful to not hit her in the side.

”How are you feeling?” he wondered and nodded towards her waist and made a lazy gesture towards her mouth, where the blood had quickly coagulated.

”Well, I feel better, thanks to you,” Ava reminded him and smiled, which made Peter’s face redden slightly as he clicked on the movie.

 

Neither Ava or Peter said much to one another during the movie, except when one of them quoted it, given the fact that both of them had seen the Philosopher’s Stone a hundred times. But if someone would have entered Peter’s room, May for example, who came home in the middle of the night, they would have found two teenagers basically curled around each other while the credits rolled on the screen.

May smiled slightly as she watched Ava mumble something in her sleep before she snuggled up against Peter’s chest, which her nephew responded with putting an arm around her waist, while still being asleep!   
She was simply happy over that her nephew might have found someone, especially after everything that had happened during the year, with Ben gone…   
With a small amused sigh, May went over and turned off the TV before she closed the door behind her, careful to not wake them up.

And to think that she hadn't noticed the nano mask poking out of Ava’s bag.

 


	13. Scorpion

The very first thing Ava noticed when she woke up, was that it was warm, very warm. But it wasn't uncomfortably warm, more like that cozy warmth you felt when you didn't want to get out bed since it was too nice. Ava kept her eyes closed as she pressed herself harder against the source of warmth as her mind wandered off somewhere else, going from the biology test, to her mother, whom she hadn't seen in a while. 

Where the hell could she be now? Doing Inhuman things? Working at a cinema and being special effects at horror movies? Who knew what the hell Selena Castello did nowadays?

And that man… She remembered his name —Mac— Spidey’s little stalker and the guy who had punched her. Who was he, and why was he targeting the vigilantes of New York? 

Hold on. What was that? And why did it feel like something was moving beside her? Ava turned, and immediately got something compact right in the face, making her open her eyes. What she found, was slightly surprising. 

It was herself, in that tank top along with a pair of pajamas shorts, and Peter in a black sleeping tee, and a pair of PJ’s, and his arm around her waist, just like Spidey had hold her a couple of months ago. It wasn't hard to remember, it had been 

 _Spider-Man_ , of course she still remembered how the spider had hold her waist. 

And they really had their similarities.

Her first thought surprisingly enough wasn't that she had been cuddling with Peter during their sleep, if she had to be honest. No, her first thought had actually been something like: Since when had he become so muscular?

And to be even more honest, it wasn't even uncomfortable —at least not while he was asleep— she even liked it. Not because he was warm and muscular (although that was enjoyable too, she wasn't going to lie) but more of the fact that she felt relaxed with him, Ava even felt comfortable.

She didn't like Peter, right?

Suddenly, she could feel him stir beside her, making her widen her eyes before she quickly snapped them shut as she felt his arm leave her waist, before she could feel something move above her (he ran his fingers through his hair) before his arm fell back to where it had been, making Ava blush slightly. 

That was, until he froze.

”Shit, please say she's sleeping, please say she's sleeping,” Peter whispered horrified as his arm disappeared again from her waist while she could feel his body move a few inches away from her, much to her... _disappointment_?

After a few minutes of just pretending to sleep, Ava decided ’waking up’ wouldn't be so awkward now. She began with simply opening her eyes and letting out a small yawn before she tried to get away the gunk in the corners of her eyes, she hated that.

”Morning,” Peter mumbled sleepily beside her while he seemed to pretend that they basically hadn't been cuddling with each other the whole night.

And she wasn't sure if it was because of him not being interested because he apparently liked Liz. Or if it simply would be awkward to wake up in that position while being considered as ’friends.’ Ava hoped for the latter, because she had a creeping feeling inside her that she had begun to see Peter as something else than a friend.

 

 _”Kid, you've been gone for ages, are you still at Parkers’?”_ Tony questioned a couple hours later, while Ava sat on the rooftop again, but this time just above the office of Jameson.

How ironic really, he had looked for both her and Spidey for ages, and here she was, sitting on the very roof of his office.

”No, I’m doing Strike stuff again,” Ava replied and blushed by the mere memory of waking up on the morning.

The rest of it had been just as normal as it usually was during a study night, although both Peter and Ava had been careful to not having that much body contact, which had resulted in May casting suspicious glances at them during breakfast, but nothing else. At least nothing Ava knew about, anyway. She hoped that May didn't suspect anything, because she herself had no idea if there was anything to suspect at all.

 _”Give it a break, Ava. You’ve been patrolling every opportunity you’ve had this week, you need some free time,”_ Tony stated as she could detect some concern in his voice.

Says the guy who sometimes could work 72 hours straight without a pause, she thought and rolled her eyes.

”The crime won’t give me one, it’s not like robbers care if I need to chill,” Ava protested and laughed as she flew past building after building, with some people taking pictures of her.

”Look, if I don't see anything until 12 o’clock, I promise that I will get home, okay?”

As usual, Tony was quiet for a second, which was then Ava always believed that he had his inner debate whether it was a good idea or not. It was Tony after all. He could certainly do stupid stuff himself.

 _”Fine, it’s not like you wouldn't do it anyway,”_ her dad muttered and sighed dramatically.

_”Just be careful, kid.”_

Ava nodded slightly before she touched the torn part of her suit and winced slightly. Well, it would take more than just a couple hours for it to heal, her injuries from Germany had taken more than just hours to heal completely, more like a week or more.

”Yeah, always,” she replied before she hung up and put the phone in her thigh pocket.

Ava didn't blame her father for calling her all the time, both of them were living dangerous lives after all. Plus the fact that her dad was suffering by both PTSD and anxiety. 

But she did what she had planned to do, which consisted of some energy blasts at a muggers who stole purses, dicks still having hangovers and taking it out on innocent people. New York never wanted to sleep, and especially not the bad guys.

”Well, at least I'm not lying in my bed and sleeping,” Ava muttered to herself and flew down closer to the streets.

Everything seemed to be good… Wait, was that a five year old? What the hell was she doing here, on street, without a parent? It didn't help much with that little girl basically just walking forward without any regard for the traffic going on in front of her, which Ava didn't see as safe. Which it wasn’t, since she then spot a large truck coming towards her in high speed. 

Without thinking much, Ava dove down towards the road, right where she was, landed just in front of the little girl to scoop her up in her arms, propelled herself up in the air just before the truck could run over her, which made her sigh in relief as she flew with the little girl in her arms.

”Are you Spider-Man’s friend?” the little girl wondered curiously while Ava searched for someone who looked like the glasses wearing brunette in her arms.

”Yeah, you could say that,” Ava replied and smiled slightly, even though the toddler couldn't see it.

”Mama and papa don't like you, they say that you’re dangerous,” the girl stated and made Ava want to sigh deeply.

”Do you think I'm dangerous?” she asked her kindly as they basically hung in the air since Ava had no idea where the little toddler lived.

”You look like a nice person, even if your face is a bit scary, but Spider-Man’s face is a bit scary too,” she stated, much to her relief.  
At least the kid didn't dislike her.

”Hey, uh, where’s your parents?” Ava wondered

”They are at home, I just wanted to go for a walk,” she replied and pointed at a building almost 3000 feet away from them.

Ava shook her head slightly as she pushed herself with the girl in the air towards the apartment, kids nowadays. When she had been in the same age, Tony had almost hadn't let her leave the building without someone. 

On the other hand, they lived different lives, so…

”Well, next time you go out for a walk, keep an eye on the street,” Ava stated as they were standing on the little girl’s balcony.

”I promise,” she said and nodded as she knocked on the door to the apartment.

The second Ava could spot her parents, she took off in the air since she wasn't sure how well the grown-ups who didn't like Strike would take her, and especially if they supported the Daily Bugle, which they surely did.

There wasn't much Ava could find for the moment, so the most logical thing she could do, was to sit down on the Bugle roof again while waiting for something to happen, maybe something dramatic.

”Having nothing to do?” Spidey asked her as he landed right beside her.

”Nope, you?” Ava wondered, making him shake his head slightly,

”By the way, I found your crazy stalker dude from a couple days ago. He and I ended up disagreeing yesterday, so he punched me, then I knocked him out.”

Spidey watched her quietly for a couple of seconds, what was it everyone looking at her without talking? First Peter, then her dad (although he always did it) then Spidey. 

”You did?” Spidey questioned wearily as he himself scratched the back of his head.

”Yeah, I think his name’s Mac or something,” Ava stated and raised her eyebrows as Spidey seemed to stiffen even more.

”What?”

”I found out why he was stalking me,” he began slowly.

”Jameson from the Bugle hired him to spy on me and the Parker guy. And then I sort of pissed him off a bit—”

”A bit?” she questioned skeptically while Spidey rolled his eyes.

At least it looked like he was rolling his eyes.

”Okay, I pissed him off slightly more than I did, because I sort of threatened Peter Parker indirectly. Doesn't feel like a good idea now,” Spidey stated and made Ava widen her eyes at him horrified.

What the hell had Peter done to him? Hadn't he said yesterday that he was cool with him? And threatening Jameson never seemed like a good idea, no matter how much of a dick he could be, he had both money and contacts after all. Maybe he could hire an even worse person than that Mac guy.

”You threatened Peter Parker?” she exclaimed with her voice rising a pitch.

”That sounds unnecessary.”

Spidey looked at her confused, which made Ava realize that she wasn't supposed to know who Peter Parker was, even less know him. She was still trying to figure out how the Avengers hadn't found out about her true identity until she had revealed it herself.

”I know. I mean, I like him, he seems like a nice guy,” Spidey stated.

”How do you know him?”

”School,” Ava simply replied and shrugged, there was over a hundred of fifteen year olds there, and it wasn't like Spidey was Harry Osborn.

Harry Osborn would never have worn those dark glasses, ever. 

”Huh,” Spidey mumbled faintly, just as he perked up from nowhere, like when he’d known that that Mac guy had been on the roof top too.

”Glow Stick, I think we should—” Spidey began slowly, but Ava couldn't hear more than that.

Maybe because something kicked her down from the rooftop, making her almost scream of the shock, but luckily, she didn’t. Instead she simply used her powers to get herself up again, just to see Spidey battle with something she certainly hadn't expected to find.

It was definitely a suit, because she was sure that no one could have a complexion that poisonous green, not even the Hulk. And she was completely sure that no human being (maybe Inhumans, though) could have a scorpion’s stinger either. And that guy was large, just as large as Steve or Bucky or even larger, she was sure of that. But since he was able to punch Spidey without him being able to catch his punches (unlike Barnes’) Ava was sure that the huge muscles she could see rippling beneath his skin certainly didn’t even show her his true strength. What was it with everyone having super strength all the time?

”Who the hell is that guy?” Ava demanded as she managed to blast him away from them, at least far enough for her to land beside Spidey and have a short conversation.

”I thought he was your boyfriend,” Spidey replied as they both threw themselves away from the stinger that the scorpion guy lashed at them.

”Definitely not, I don't date arachnids,” Ava replied and made Spidey snort.

”Not that I have anything against you, you seem like a great guy.”  
Before the spider could answer, the scorpion threw himself at her and hit her right into the gut, making Ava fly a couple feet away from them and hit the hard concrete harshly.  
”What is it with me and falling?” Ava muttered exasperated as Spidey shot a sling of web around his stinger before he tried to pull the scorpion away from her.

But to her surprise, the man simply took a hold of the web and pulled it harshly, which made Spidey almost fly into her. Quickly, she created a force field and tried to catch the spider in it.

”Didn’t like me yesterday? You haven't seen anything yet,” the scorpion growled at her gleefully and went for another punch, which she actually managed to duck from.  
But he was fast, annoyingly fast. As Ava was trying to knock him out without killing him, Spidey seemed to spin a web around the scorpion, which he managed to break out of as easily as it was to break a hair strand.

”I don't remember a human scorpion somewhere, or maybe in a comic book, I think,” Ava stated and shook her head as she tried to avoid the stinger and actually managed to hit the guy with something that was stronger than a love tap.

Maybe Spidey should deal with the punching and she with the striking him with energy.

The scorpion looked at her amused, the way an adult looked at a silly child, she hated it. Not only because of the fact that he was a complete stranger to her, but also since she hated being referred as stupid. Her dad didn't count, he _was_ smarter than her.

”You’re a smart girl. Think,” he hissed at her as he somehow managed to shot acid with his stinger, which made Ava dislike him even more than she already had done.

”A bit hard to do that while getting shot at!” Ava yelled at him as Spidey tried to slow him down slightly by actually having the strength to punch him.

”Yeah, she’s right, you know,” Spidey agreed and nodded.

”I mean, when you have to deal with an enormous scorpion, the only thing you really would want to do is to watch Empire.”

Ava widened her as she heard it, was he crazy? This wasn't Scott Lang when he had been a 100 feet tall giant, hell, this man wasn't even 7 feet. But maybe it would work, at least long enough for them to make an escape.

While Ava began to shoot blasts in his chest, Spidey himself was trying to shoot webs around his legs discreetly, which wasn't _that_ hard, given the fact that that scorpion’s eyes were only on her, something that Ava found extremely stupid. But scorpions didn't have a good sight, she wouldn't judge that guy too much.

”Hey! I remember you!” Ava suddenly exclaimed as her mind clicked, just as she ducked from another shot of acid at her.

”Dude, I definitely don't remember you _that_ beefy, and that was yesterday. You gotta tell us your secret, is it fish oil pills? They really work miracles.”

Spidey snorted loudly as Ava kept her eyes on the human scorpion, her hands blazing with blue energy as she tried to keep his attention on her and not Spidey.

”No, something better, much better,” Mac replied and smiled at her.  
And not a nice smile, definitely not. It actually reminded Ava of the Joker’s smile, minus the red lipstick and a bit more predator-like. When someone smiled at you in that way, you knew that you should run away, screaming.

Once again, the Mac guy managed to punch her, making her fall down from the building (again). But this time, as Ava soared right in front of the office of Jameson, she could actually spot that little shit talk to someone through an earpiece. And if she glanced at Mac, she could see that his jaws were clenched in annoyance, as if Jameson talked to—

No, no, no, no. She knew that Jameson hated them, but to create that scorpion thing? That was way too out of the line.

Ava sank down to his level as she raised her fist and knocked on the glass, which apparently seemed to scare Jameson, since he both flinched and widened his cold eyes. 

”Open, goddammit!” Ava yelled at him and pointed at the roof, where Mac managed to punch Spidey in the face and made him fly to hell, much to her concern.   
Especially since he didn't move after that.

Ignoring Jameson's rather cold glare at her, she flew up and landed on the scorpion with feet first. 

”Did you get paid for this?” Ava questioned and loaded her hands with energy as she jumped away and positioned herself between the scorpion and Spidey, who was still unconscious.

”Why do you care?” Mac snarled at her.

”I’m just trying to figure out if I can coax out the good of your heart,” Ava admitted as her heart pounded in her chest, almost as if it tried to make a run for it without her.

Dealing with robbers or even the Avengers was one thing (she had known that the Avengers would never really hurt her) but standing eye-to-eye with an enhanced individual she knew would want to hurt both her and Spidey did scare her, a lot. Especially since that man looked at them like they were pieces of meat.

”What did Jameson want you to do? Except trying to turn us into mush,” Ava demanded as she really hoped that it did not have the word ’kill’ in it.

”He told me to rip that mask off your pretty little face,” Scorpion stated and grinned wickedly, which made Ava’s stomach turn upside down.  
She was very certain that he definitely would not only reveal their identities, his body language told her other things, which probably would involve lots of blood and screams. He was too crazy to do anything else.

”Is it too late to ask you to listen to your conscience and not do this to the couple of super people who actually help people in New York?” Ava wondered hopefully.

Unfortunately, the scorpion didn't seem tempted at all, which was just rotten luck. First getting ditched by Peter, then this? This certainly wasn't her best Saturday in a long time.

”How about I rip you to pieces instead?” he growled and lashed out on her, which almost made Ava scream.

Before that could happen though, she managed to create a forcefield that was generating heat which Mac collided with, face first. He certainly wouldn't die, but it would hurt a lot, which Ava could clearly hear as he let out an inhuman roar and staggered with his hands over his face, making Ava’s gut clench. 

What the hell had she done? Why had she even chosen to heat up the force field? 

”We gotta go,” Ava mumbled slowly and glanced at Spidey, who had begun to groan loudly, much to her relief.

”Come on, we don't have much time.”

As Ava basically hauled him up on his feet, she clenched her jaw together as she tried to ignore Mac’s shrieks in pain while Spidey quickly began to recover from the hit.

”This way,” Spidey called as he shot out a string of web and swung away from the roof, with Ava following right after, shutting her eyes for a hot second as Mac let out a new roar.

That certainly did not sound human.

 


	14. Force

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse my bad biology

”What the— What was _that_?” Spidey exclaimed minutes later, on one of the very large pillars of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Hopefully, the scorpion couldn't come up here, he could neither fly or climb on walls, exactly.

”That, my web-shooting friend, was your number one stalker,” Ava stated and shook her head.

And the guy you almost fried, she added in her head and immediately felt that horrible feeling inside her stomach.

”According to Mr. Mac-something, he was hired by Jameson to hit us in the face and reveal our identities, but I don't think that’s what _he_ wants,” Ava began carefully and rubbed her eyes.

”And since that guy wants to rip us in pieces —literally— I'm quite sure whatever Jameson did to him has made him go bonkers. Because he definitely did not look like that yesterday. A bit aggressive yeah, but he wasn't homicidal, or that beefy.”

”Should I call Mr. Stark on this?” Spidey wondered, making Ava shake her head.

If her father would get involved with this, he’d would ground Ava permanently. And it wasn't like there were many Avengers left, Vision still had a hard time to cope with the fact that Wanda had gone away. And Rhodey was paralyzed while Tony’s latest suit had been trashed by Steve in Siberia, which would take time to rebuild from scratch.

”No, definitely not, at least not now, we’ve only met him once and we survived,” Ava stated.

”But if it gets worse… Then we’ll call him, but not now.”  
She couldn't see Spidey’s face for the moment, but she was quite sure that he looked rather queasy about it.

”Only if it’s worse, yeah, copy that,” he stated and shrugged before he turned and watched the rest of Brooklyn in silence.

To her own surprise, his hands didn't shake in fear or anything that showed sign of fear, but if she looked down on her own… They were shaking like crazy. And she had been the one who’d dismissed her own father.

”Look, if you say that we should keep Mr. Stark out of this, then I'm sure it will be okay,” he stated as he cast a glance at her hands.

”Especially for the moment, he wouldn't have the time to… Shit.”

Ava raised her eyebrow confused as she watched him widen his eyes (which she somehow could do) while immediately thinking that it definitely was not good, at all.

”What is it?” she questioned as Spidey shot out a new sling of web before he jumped away from her.

What was is with him swinging away from her all the time? 

Ava didn't hesitate as she herself jumped down from the pillar and used her powers to get to him, who could swing like a champ.

”What’s going on?” Ava demanded in confuse as she almost flew right into a pigeon.

Clint wouldn't have been happy if she had killed one of his relatives.

”Didn’t you say that Jameson was behind this?” he questioned and made Ava nod slightly,

”Yeah? How so?”

”Well, if he had gone a bit loony, than maybe he would get pissed at the one who did it to him,” Spidey stated and shrugged.

”Spidey, that man wanted us smashed, you actually saying that we should save him now?” Ava exclaimed, which made Spidey snort in her direction.

”Didn’t you just fry Scorpion’s face, just because?” he questioned.

Ava went silent for a second, she hated when she was wrong.

”Fine, but I'm not going to do this for him,” she muttered as she glanced at him.

Sure, he was muscular, but he was still slim, perhaps…  
”Hey, quick question, how much do you weight?” Ava wondered, making Spidey look at her confused.

”Uh… Around 140 pounds, why?” he asked stunned while Ava deemed it light enough for her to carry.

”Just hold on tight,” she simply stated as she took a hold of his wrist before she shot away like a rocket, which made Spidey yell out in delight.

”Holy shit! This is awesome!” he exclaimed and looked up at her.  
”Why haven't I seen you do this before?”

”Because this tires me out,” she simply replied and shrugged as she could feel her energy burn out slowly, like sand running down inside an hourglass.

”But it’s not far now…”

And she certainly was right this time, she could even see the building now, even the office of Jameson himself. Luckily for both of them, Scorpion hadn't seemed to have arrived, yet.

”Should we knock?” Spidey questioned, making Ava shrug as she readied herself to toss him away.

”Please, just don't get squashed now,” she said before she flung him away towards the windows, which he —luckily— managed to get a grip of, just as Ava’s phone rang, much to her annoyance.

”Please say dad, please say dad,” Ava mumbled to herself as she hung in the air while trying to recover while Spidey was looking at her strangely before she picked up her phone and groaned mentally.

Why did MJ have to call her now? In the middle of saving people?

”Just give me a sec,” Ava muttered and shot up a bit higher in the air before she turned off her voice changer to answer her phone.

Wouldn't be such a great idea if Strike answered instead of Ava.

”Sup.”

 _”Did you have a good time yesterday?”_ MJ wondered, making her raise her eyebrow confused.

”I guess, how so?” Ava asked her puzzled and made her giggle slightly.

_”Heard that a certain someone has been with Peter Parker the whole night…”_

Ava groaned loudly and rolled her eyes, while she could feel that lingering feeling of Peter’s arm around her waist. Although there was still this strange question: How the hell did MJ find out?

”Yeah, I studied for the biology test with him, then it was a bit too late for me to get home, especially after the gang fight,” Ava admitted (while lying a tiny little bit, they had seen a movie too) and shrugged.

 _”Gang fight? What the hell have you been doing?”_ MJ exclaimed horrified.

”I was walking to Peter’s place, then a couple of drunk guys tried to punch me, with a knife. But I'm fine now, Peter stitched me together,” Ava told and tried to keep in nonchalant, it wasn't any time for MJ to fret over her.

”Anyway,” Ava added quickly before she could say anything more,”how the hell did you even find out?”  
_”You know, I snapped with Harry when he jokingly complained about that you were crashing at Peter’s place,”_ MJ stated, but judging the tone of her voice, there was something more than just snapping with each other.

”And…?” Ava said and waited for her to continue.

_”Well, the thing is that… Harry asked me out on a date!”_

Ava widened her eyes and grinned as she heard the news, gosh, finally. It had only taken a bit more than a year but…

”I’ll send that guy a fruit basket,” Ava stated and laughed slightly before she glanced down at Spidey, who didn't seem to be so stressed, for the moment.

”But how about I call you later? I got a small problem for the moment, spiders and stuff.”

 _”Yeah, of course. Promise, you’ll like it,”_ MJ stated amused and made Ava frown but not say anything.

_”Anyway, see you later.”_

”Bye,” Ava said and hung up, just before she put on the voice changer and flew down to Spidey.

”Seen anything yet?” 

”Nope, no Jameson yet, but he’s on a coffee break, I think,” Spidey stated and knocked on the glass slightly.

”So… Can you use the force, or should we really knock?”

Ava shook her head as she put her hand on the glass, forced energy through the thing without melting it down, bent the energy blade before she managed to lock up the window. Once again, spy flicks learned you a thing or two.

”Just so you know, I have no idea how the hell I managed to do that,” Ava admitted as she opened up the window and let Spidey crawl in first before she closed the window after herself.

”And I thought that destroying Jameson’s windows wouldn't be so smart either.”

Spidey shrugged as he jumped up on the wall while Ava felt confident enough to sit in his chair, which was annoyingly uncomfortable. 

No wonder that man seemed to be so cranky all the time. 

Ava closed her eyes as her body tried to recover from being a human rocket, which she got to do in almost four minutes, that was until the big man himself arrived.

”What the hell… Secu—” Jameson yelled, right as Ava managed to shoot energy at the handle before she yanked it back to close the door before him, which she almost smiled over.  
Wanda would have been so proud that she had managed to create a loophole for her powers! She didn't have telekinesis like Wanda, who could somehow ’grab’ it with her red energy, but she could push and hit objects with her energy, which was something she really would have to remember in the future, a very near future, since Mr. Jameson didn't seem so happy for the moment.

Ava had only seen that man once in real life, and that had been ten quick seconds because of Spidey being punched by Mac. Although, she had seen him in the papers sometimes, and she had always found him to be quite a grumpy old man. When seeing him now without having to worry about Spidey being strangled by a human scorpion— she couldn't have been more right.

That mustache didn't help at all either.

”Please don’t, we’re trying to save your bacon, Mr. Jameson,” Ava said and shook her head slightly as Spidey jumped down and landed right beside her.

”Which I still wonder why, given the fact that you are the one who is the reason behind this mess in the first place. But Spidey here has a softer heart than me, since he’s not a ’Cold-hearted part-alien vigilante who should be held responsible for her action instead of hiding behind a mask.’”

Much to her own amusement, Jameson’s left eye began to twitch slightly as he made his way to his own chair, which still felt like she was sitting on a bulky stone.

”Listen here, I don't need any saving from the likes of you. The chance of you hurting someone is larger than you fixing it,” he boomed and made Ava groan loudly and look at Spidey, who did look rather fed up too, even though they had only been in the same room as him in two minutes or less.

”Jameson, look, I'm sorry for being a dick a couple of days ago, I promise, I won’t squash Parker, he seems to be a nice guy,” he began slowly without any trace of anger or annoyance, much to Ava’s amazement.

That guy’s patience, he should really get a medal.

”The thing is that when you somehow got this Mac guy to go through a neurogenic mutation, something must have messed up his brain slightly, and I do believe that he will come for you, soon. Strike bought us some time by punching him, but he’ll return, which won’t be good for any one of us since he basically hates all of us now.”

Jameson was quiet for a second, his iron blue eyes jumping from Spidey to Ava, back to Spidey until hopping back to Ava.

”Fine, what do you need?” he questioned grudgingly and crossed his arms over his eyes while regarding them cautiously, almost like he believed that they would attack _him_ any second now.

And Ava had believed that _she_ could be paranoid.

”Do not call security, that’s basically it,” Ava stated and shrugged.  
”Because we thought that, since he’s crazy and won’t care about civilian casualties…”

”We should probably move you away to an area with fewer people, in hope that he will want to follow you and to perhaps kill you,” Spidey finished and nodded.

”The lab you modified him in, perhaps they could cure him,” Ava suggested and tilted her head slightly.

”If we’re lucky, he’ll follow you to the lab, ’cause maybe he’s sane enough to crave a cure.”

 

”I still can’t believe we actually had a quite civilized conversation with Mr. Jameson down there,” Spidey stated and shook his head slightly as Ava soared beside him while they kept an eye on Jameson’s car.

”Not a single call or a threat from him, we should get him a medal for that one, right?”

Ava nodded slightly as she cast a glance down on the street, where she could spot something in an abandoned alley, almost like a little black hole. Was that whom she believed it was? Or did her eyes just mess with her? And why the hell would she be in New York again? 

”You okay?” Spidey asked her concerned as he glanced at the alley she’s be looking at confused.

”Yeah, I just thought I saw something, but it was only a plastic bag,” Ava lied and shook her head.

”I think I've begun to overuse my powers, I begin to see stuff then, plus all the headache I’ll get after this.”

”Maybe you should get some rest, I’ll handle this,” Spidey stated, which made her glare at him and shake her head fiercely.

”Hell no, scorpions and spiders together in the same room? Ain’t gonna happen,” Ava protested and made a turn as Jameson made a hard right from all of sudden before she pushed Spidey in the same direction with her powers.

”Besides, I don't have anything scheduled for now, I believe,” Ava added and shrugged as they began to near a large building which definitely looked like a science institute.

”Time to land.”

Must have been a sight for sore eyes for people to see Spider-Man and Strike enter the building visible and media-able, which was why Spidey shot webs at the security cameras, or Ava simply blinding the cameras temporarily by the use of her own powers, that could sometimes mess with some electric devices.

It wasn't too hard to find Dr. Stillwell, given the fact that he basically ran into Jameson, being both red-eyed and pale like a freaking sheet.

”I hadn't expected this to happen, Mr. Jameson,” he panted as he ignored both Ava and Spidey while leading Jameson to his lab, which even consisted of a little scorpion in a glass box.

”I took a small blood sample from Mac Gargan after his transformation, just to see how his cells bonded with the new genes. And at first, everything seemed to work. A couple hours later, the genes from the scorpion seem to have begun to dominate over his human genes, which I believe must have triggered the basal ganglia in his brain, which is the part which you would call the reptilian brain. That must have brought out the more animalistic, aggressive and violent side of a human’s nature by letting the r-complex take over. He can still speak and walk and think like a normal human —for the most of the time— but an animal’s natural instincts, eat, flight, defend, procreation, will certainly be heightened to the point where he may be unreasonable the second he has decided something.”

There wasn't much Ava could do— but face palm. Had neither Jameson or Stillwell seen the consequences of creating a super human with the genes of a predator? Spidey must have been lucky, otherwise that guy might have become Man-Spider instead of Spider-Man.

”Wow, just wow, this is… Awesome,” Ava grumbled and shook her head in exasperation while Jameson was glaring at her coldly.

”And I had thought Stark had been crazy, but this? You’ve created a crazy human scorpion, just because you were pissed at some kids in masks. If it hadn't been for the fact that we still need you, I would have punched you in the face.”

The already pale scientist seemed to pale even more as he walked away to a fridge to take out a vial with something transparent inside.

”I tried to develop a cure for the modification based on what I managed to gather from the ATCU’s old papers about the Inhumans, which is what I took my inspiration from when creating the serum. Unfortunately, this rudimentary version of a cure will not only diminish his use of the r-complex, but the risk of it burning out his entire nervous system, or simply tearing his cells apart is as high as 80%. The cure is highly unstable, mostly because it’s almost impossible to separate Gargan’s and the scorpion’s genes from each other once they've been bonded,” he explained carefully while Ava simply glared at Jameson, just as the alarm went nuts.

”That doesn't sound good,” Spidey stated, just as the door only 20 feet from them disintegrated into a puddle of metal and acid.

Spidey certainly was right, this wasn't good at all. In fact, it was worse than bad. As Gargan entered the room, his hands covered in blood (hopefully, that person was still alive) but somehow, he looked even larger now than he’d looked barely an hour ago. And his face… God, and to think that he must have looked even worse before, before his regeneration ability had kicked in. The side of his face was severely burned, which looked like someone had melted a wax doll and later decided it to cool down again. And with the healing going on, it was definitely not a pretty sight at all.

”Mr. Gargan, we have a cure for you. If you please just take a deep breath—” Stillwell began, before he was tossed away by Gargan right into a wall.

The sound of bones crunching and his neck snapping, that was something Ava would never forget. And the cure simply ran out on the floor, which had been their small chance to permanently stop him. If Ava wouldn't have been amongst people, she sure as hell would have begun to panic.

”Stupid man, why would he believe that I would want a cure for this?” Gargan grumbled as he neared the rest of them, his now even larger muscles visibly moving under the skintight suit, which made Ava’s blood leave her face for a short second.

”Maybe because you look like an oversized avocado with a tail?” Spidey surprisingly suggested as he positioned himself between him and Jameson.

”If I would have been you, I definitely shouldn't have used _that_ shade of green, maybe emerald green, it certainly brings out the murder in your eyes.”

With a low growl, Gargan lunged himself at them, not at Jameson, but at _her_. This time, Ava didn't create a force field, afraid that he’d want to rip off her head. Instead, she threw herself to the side and barely missed the sharp stinger before she forcefully tried to manifest her energy, which she completely failed at.

”Come on!” she growled as her hands only shook, no energy, no blades, not even sparks.

She didn't even have a headache, what the hell? Just as she managed to create a tiny little spark, Gargan took a hold of her neck and lifted her up in the air like she was a piece of cotton, which she must have been with his strength.

”You did this to me!” he roared at her, his bloodshot dark eyes fixating on her as his pupils dilated to the point where she almost couldn't even see his irises.

This wasn't a man anymore, no, from a private detective to a murderous predator with a grudge. And someone with a grudge was never harmless.

”I—I didn’t… I didn't mean to!” Ava got out as she almost choked on the little air she  could breathe in, her sight slowly beginning to swim and dampen.

”Please, I'm sorry!”

From all of sudden, she could hear the sound of the webs she had grown so used of, before she could see Gargan fall backwards, with her still in his grip as she landed right on his chest. 

If she would have landed on the floor, the fall would have been much softer.

Using her peripheral vision to see through the misty shadows that hung over her eyes, Ava created a dagger that was warm enough to melt iron by just touching it, before she jammed it right into the mechanical tail of his suit. 

Before any of them could come to harm, she forced them both away from the puddle of acid that dripped out from the cut off tail with the help of her powers. 

Luckily, only the tail seemed to have the acid and not the rest of the suit, otherwise Gargan would be even more dangerous than he already was.

”He looks better without a tail, don't you think?” Spidey stated as Ava managed to get out of his grip by pushing his hand away from her with the help of a small shockwave of energy before she tossed herself away from him.

She certainly felt like shit as she could still feel Gargan’s fingers around her throat as he had forcefully blocked her air pipe. God, she wanted to throw up so badly as the air returned to her lungs like sharp sandpaper, her neck ached and her head felt like cotton candy.

Luckily, her sight began to return as Spidey was battling Gargan on his own, and definitely handling it much better than she had done, while Jameson simply watched them stiffly, almost like he’d been petrified.

”Jameson, keep the rest of the people out of here, now!” she yelled at him, making him ’wake up’ from his paralyze before he ran out, hopefully to do what she had said to him.

Once again, Ava tried to create a dagger or anything to help Spidey, but much to her anger and frustration, it didn't work again. Instead, she could feel something else inside her body, something moving inside her body, her blood sizzling and pumping with energy, almost like electricity. She recognized that feeling, much to her own dread. 

That’s how she had felt during her Terrigenesis, right before she had exploded. And now there weren't only her and her dad, now there were loads of people. She had to do something, before it would explode inside her. Sure, it wouldn't hurt her, but all the others…

”Get out of here, now!” Ava yelled at them both, making Spidey look up from the fight confused.

”What—”  
”Please, just go!” she pleaded while she could feel tears rise up in her eyes as the energy inside her began to intensify even more.

To Ava’s relief, Spidey nodded reluctantly and shot a string of web on the window before he swung out through it, but Gargan was still inside the lab, much to Ava’s worry.

”Mac, I beg you…. You need to get away from here,” Ava whispered as the fire inside her roared wildly, she wasn't sure how long she could keep it inside her.

It felt like she was holding on to something very small yet very heavy, which would be so easy to drop…

Much to Ava’s horror, Gargan chose to ignore it and simply tried to strangle her, again. She really wanted to evacuate as quickly as she could before she would blow to hell, but there were so many people, yet Gargan was still in the same room as her. Would she choose the group or the individual? Or would she do, as her father would put it, simply ’cut the wire’?

”Mac, I will explode, and you will die,” she continued and kept herself out of his way every time he tried to hit her in the gut or face, which felt more like a deadly dance than fighting.

”You did this to me,” he hissed at her, the glow radiating from Ava lighting up his burn marks even more, which made him look even more horrifying than he’d already done with his dark eyes.

”I know, and I'm sorry, I really am,” Ava mumbled as she let out a sound in discomfort, it would come any time now.

”But please, just get out of here.”  
Once again, Gargan didn't listen, instead he took a hold of her neck again, making Ava whimper in pain, and not only physical.

With a last intake of breath, the energy that had been building up inside simply let loose around her, causing her to fall down on the cold floor as it knocked back Gargan as it burned away bits of his suit and skin, just before Ava was forced to close her eyes by the intense light. 

As she opened up her eyes, the first thing she could sense was the headache inside her skull, which was even worse than the one yesterday. As she cast a glance at her hands, she could see that they were still sparking with leftover scraps of the energy from the blast, nothing else. 

Ava forced herself up on her feet, just as she looked at the lab surrounding her, which surprisingly wasn't destroyed at all. That was, until she could spot Gargan, who was lying down on the floor against the wall across the room. It didn't look much better as his skin still sizzled and smoked. But the thing was that she didn't feel anything, almost like someone had burned her nerves numb. 

She had to get out of there, first Stillwell had been killed, now there were two corpses lying on the floor. And who knew what the government would do with her if they managed to find out, especially now with Accords still being fresh in everyone’s minds?

With the little energy she had left, Ava forced herself up in the air before flying out, only to get greeted by Spidey, who didn't say a word, especially not as Ava’s head began to swim and her eyes darken as the headache hit her with such a force, being punched would have been kinder to her. 

 

Peter managed to catch her right as Strike passed out, while not being sure what to do with her, before he decided that Mr. Stark would know what to do, he knew Strike’s true identity, after all.

With Strike in his arms, he still tried to figure out what the heck had happened in the lab. He’d seen something blue and glowing inside the place, nothing else, until she had come out with barely a scratch. What had she done?

And it was funny, even though it was still bright outside, especially for being an early autumn afternoon, Peter had neither seen or sensed the dark haired woman who had stood only feet from him, watching him quietly in the shadows as he swung away from the building, and her daughter knocked out with him.

 


	15. Suffer

Tony hated when Ava was away on her patrols.

Especially during the weekends, where he knew anything could happen to her. Not that he could force her to come home, he just have to take the water to the donkey, which was for him going to the Tower again.

Not that sitting in the bar with a glass of whiskey helped that much either —Ava hated to see him drink— it wasn't like she was here, Ava was out there right now. Perhaps she was helping old ladies over the street, or maybe she was dealing with another robbery. 

”It isn't like it has gone well for me,” Tony added bitterly and slowly touched his chest, right where his arc reactor had once been.

Which Steve had crushed like it had been glass. It never had occurred to him, until now, that if he hadn't had that operation three years ago, Tony would have been killed by that blow. 

He still wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or terrified.

”Mr. Stark!” he suddenly could hear someone say, on the balcony.

Tony turned his head surprised to look at the glass wall separating the floor to the balcony, where he could spot Peter in full underoos mode, with his daughter hanging lifelessly in his arms.

For a second, Tony froze as it felt like he couldn't breathe, he barely heard the crash of his glass falling down on the floor as he made his way to the balcony.   
No, she couldn't be dead, he wouldn't allow his daughter to die before him, never.

”Is she…?” Tony began slowly as he tried to force his words out of his mouth without his voice wavering a single bit.

”No, she’s just passed out,” Peter assured him and made Tony exhale in relief as that horrifying feeling disappeared in his throat.

”Mr. Stark, I don't know what happened, or what should I do with her, I don't even know who she is.”

Yes, you do, Tony thought, but he didn't say anything. As long as Ava didn't want anyone to know, he wouldn't tell, and the same for Peter.

”Let me take her, I’ll deal with it,” he told and held out his arms slowly.

”But Mr. Stark, what should I do now?” Peter questioned confused as he handed over Ava carefully.

”Just go home and study, Ava did say you have a test, right?” he stated and raised his eyebrows, which made the boy nod slowly.

”Yeah, but I've already studied with Ava— She’s not here, right?” 

”No, she’s gone to the compound, I just forgot something here,” Tony lied and began to head for the private elevator, no way he’d use the other.

”Thank you, Mr. Stark,” Peter called out before he jumped down from the building —much to Tony’s dismay, that’s what Ava could do sometimes— before he swung away, leaving him with his own thoughts and an unconscious daughter in his arms.

The day they would find out about each other, would a very interesting day Tony wasn't sure he’d want to be involved in.

He probably would anyway.

 

 _”So… I’m_ not _like Wanda— What?” Ava questioned confused as they stood in one the many training rooms of the Avengers facility, her energy moving over her hands like fire, which she had realized that it mostly manifested itself like._

_Or lightning formed , at least something plasma-ish._

_”Well, yeah, sort of,” Tony stated as he cast a glance at Wanda again, whose hands were surrounded in that red mist after she had demonstrated how to pick up a pencil from the floor._

_”Could you try to pick that thing up?”_

_Ava sighed slightly before she manifested the electric blue flame-like energy around her hands as she let wisps of it leave her hands and fly to the pencil. A pencil wouldn't be hard, it was a_ pencil _. But much to her frustration, she couldn't pick the thing up the way Wanda could, she could only push it forwards and backwards, almost like she shot a metal ball at it._

_”Great, now try to lift it,” Tony told, making Ava glare at him annoyed._

_”What do you think I've been doing?” she questioned exasperated as she tried to envelop the stick of wood and graphite with the fire-like energy, which was even harder than creating a dagger and keeping it physical._

_”I’m literally unable to lift this telekinetically.”  
The second she said that, Ava could basically feel the increase in heat in the energy, before she literally burned the pencil to ashes. She certainly shouldn't have gotten an energy-based power._

_”Well, at least now we know some of your mumbo jumbo,” her father stated as he took some notes._

_”Psionic ergokinesis that’s more of ergokinesis than psycho —sounds weird—  can create physical constructs to some level, heat generating, can’t be used for telekinesis, flight by manipulating the gravitation, more physical than Wanda’s powers but still not. You’re basically a wimpier Wanda without the creepy powers plus some Green Lantern stuff.”_

_Ava exchanged looks with Wanda, who looked rather weirded out and slightly insulted, while Ava raised her eyebrows at her father._

_”Thanks for that one.”_

 

Waking with a headache was never fun. After using loads of energy within the same hour and then pass out? Even worse. Ava could recall the headache she had gotten after being knocked out from the sky by Scott Lang, she still wasn't sure if that one had been because of the use of her powers or simply colliding with her force field and later a van. 

It had still hurt, though.

The thing was that when Ava opened her eyes, she realized that she wasn't outside that lab in Manhattan, no, she was in her bedroom in the Facility, which she slept in when she and Tony were living at the compound, like now. Something that surprised her even more was the fact that she wasn't wearing her suit or mask anymore, which immediately made her wonder who the hell had changed clothes on her. Either way, it was either her dad, who was her dad which wasn't horrible, or it had been Vision, who was a mash of JARVIS and Ultron, and she had known JARVIS since forever.

”Dad?” Ava called out as she made her way out to the living room, which was completely empty, much to her concern.

”Hello? Anyone?”

Much to her surprise, it was neither her father or Vision, but Rhodey. Ever since Tony had created some sort of exoskeleton to help him walk, his recovery had gone much quicker than without it, even if they hadn't been able to mend his spine, even with Cho’s technology.

”Hiya,” Ava greeted Rhodey as he made his way to the sofa before he slowly began to sit down, which made Ava decide that she was too lazy to stand for the moment.

”Hey, you sure as hell scared your dad when you came home,” he stated and watched her concerned, just as realization hit her like a truck.

 _I killed someone. I straight up burned him to death._  
”You okay?”

”I don't know,” Ava mumbled and looked down on the floor as she almost could relive it again, the horrible feeling when she’d let go, how powerful she actually had felt.

The burning body. She hadn't dared to go closer, afraid to look at the mangled corpse that had been thrown into the wall, his older burn cracking up again and revealing bits of his jaw, the liquid oozing from the wounds, the smell of burnt tissue. Her stomach turned upside down by just thinking about it.

”Rhodey… Can I ask you something?”

”Yeah, sure, what is it?” Rhodey wondered and leaned forward slightly, almost as if he could see the letters ’KILLER’ burnt onto her face.

”How did you feel the first time you, uh… Killed someone?” Ava asked slowly as she began to fiddle with her hands.

From concerned uncle, to a soldier post-war. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Rhodey had been a soldier, and technically still was.

”Well, I’ve mostly been up in the air, but my first kill was down on ground, I think,” Rhodey began slowly.

”It wasn't anything extraordinary, the way you see it in movies, I was leading a land party to disable an area with a hostile force, when we got attacked. I didn't hesitate, I didn't feel anything either, at least not until I got home. It was then I began to realize that those people _I_ had shot weren't monsters behind masks. They had families and loved ones, they were humans. The fight needed to be fought, but yeah, it will never leave you either.”

Ava nodded slowly as Gargan’s body flashed up behind her eyelids, a constant reminder of what she had done. And had _that_ been necessary? Sure, it had gone off without her being able to stop it, but couldn't she simply have tried to get him out of there before it had happened? Had that been the only option? 

”How long time does it take? To —you know— get rid of it all?” Ava asked him as she kept her eyes on her hands.

”To be honest, never. You just have to learn how to live with it,” Rhodey stated.

”It will never be easy, Ava, but easier. You’ll cope, eventually.”  
Ava looked up from her hands and watched him stunned, had she been sleep talking again? She often did that, at least that’s what her dad told her, especially after a Strike mission, which was nowadays almost everyday.

”What? How did you know?” Ava questioned as she watched her father’s best friend suspiciously.

”Please, just because I can’t build a freaking Iron Man suit or solve a super equation in the matter of seconds, doesn't it mean that I'm an idiot,” Rhodey said and snorted.

”When was it?”

”Today,” Ava admitted lowly.

”He was an enhanced who’d gone crazy, but I didn't mean to kill him. My powers, they just… I don't know, went out of control again. I tried, you know, to get him away from me, but it wasn't enough.”

”No one can’t save everyone,” Rhodey told her kindly.

”But I think that you should tell Tony if the government demands answers.”

”Tell me what?” Tony questioned from all of sudden as he entered the living room with a small jar with the familiar painkillers.

”Helen recommended these for extreme migraines.”

As Ava caught the jar and took the usual two, she glanced at Rhodey who nodded slightly, making her swallow down the pills while she prayed that her father wouldn't judge her too much.

”Dad, there’s something I need to tell you,” she began carefully, telling it to her father was so much different from telling Rhodey.  
Especially since she went against her own words from hours ago, hadn't she said that they’d not tell Tony?

”There was this man who’d been spying on Spidey, and I met him yesterday, well, not _met_ him…”

  
Telling Tony about everything had gone slightly better than she had expected —even though she had almost begun to cry several occasions— and had ended with them agreeing that they certainly would have to have a conversation with Ross if this would reach him. Hopefully, he wouldn't chain her from head to toe and throw her into the Raft.

 _”You okay?”_ MJ asked the second Ava called her almost an hour later since she’d discussed with Tony, which did surprise her slightly.

”What?”

_”Yeah, uh, I tried to call you a couple of times, but you didn't answer. So… I got a bit worried and called your dad. He told me about the migraine attack, seemed like one of your nastiest. But how are you feeling?”_

Right, her classical migraine excuses whenever she’d been hurt as Strike and not being able to say the real reason. Technically it was like a migraine, just not as long lasting and could be treated by painkillers.

”Well, I'm better, dad has these miracle medicines lying around, really do wonders,” Ava stated and chuckled slightly.

_”That’s awesome! Because the thing is that… uh, well… Harry and I had this little idea, I can cancel it if your migraine is too horrible—”_

”Hold on, what idea do you and Harry have?” Ava questioned and raised her eyebrow, even though MJ couldn't see it.  
_”Thought that we could perhaps… Have a double date? It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want to, more of a hangout with them, it’s bowling so…”_

”Who are you even talking about? Double date? Are you thinking about the guy I think you're thinking about?” 

 _”Yeah, if you're talking about Harry and Peter, then yes, you're right,”_ MJ stated and almost made Ava groan loudly.

Peter? After the little incident in the morning? Wouldn't be awkward at all, no, no.

Or if both Harry and MJ were there too, maybe they could pretend like it had never happened, maybe that could work.

”Sounds great, I guess,” Ava said and shrugged.

”What time and place?”

 _”Times Square, around seven. You sure that you're all right? You know that your migraines can be pretty severe, right?”_ MJ said while sounding slightly worried.

”I’m fine, really,” Ava insisted.

”And it would be nice to get some air too.”

 _”Because going to Queens and then back to Manhattan isn't air giving,”_ she replied amused.

_”I’ll see you later.”_

”Yeah, of course,” Ava replied with a small smile before she hung up, only to feel that horrible feeling of dread inside her gut again.

She’d just killed a guy, and now she would go out on a date? But maybe it was the right thing to do, go and do some normal things kids in her age did, instead of being angsty about her actions in her bed, when she probably wouldn’t have been able to save him from the blast, without him killing her, of course.

”How are you feeling, kid?” Tony asked softly after he’d knocked slightly on her door before entering quietly.

”Fine, I guess,” Ava stated and shrugged slightly as she put away her phone as her father sat down beside her.

”I’m going out tonight, it’s with MJ.”

”Yeah, I know, she called me a couple hours ago,” Tony began slowly.

”Killing someone, that sucks, a lot. It doesn’t matter if it is a super evil fire dude or simply a soldier who could kill you too. You will always remember it. I’m not saying it to scare you, I’m just telling you from my own experiences, I don’t even know how much blood I have on my hands, and I’m not sure I would be able to handle it if I did—”

”I know,” Ava interrupted quickly and made her father turn and watch her confused.

”Look, I know that you have suffered from this, believe me, I do. But the thing is… I’m not sure if I should feel like I’m feeling right now. Yes, I feel horrible for killing that man, but it feels like I should feel worse than I actually feel. Is that a bad or a good thing?”

”I don’t know, kid, this definitely isn’t my subject,” Tony stated and put an arm around her before he pulled her into a one-armed small hug.

”But just promise me that you won’t do a me.”

”What, drinking and hiding my feelings from my own family?” Ava said and snorted, which made her father glare at her.

”I’m serious, Aveline,” Tony said gravelly and made Ava set her teeth together by surprise.

”You have to tell me if it keeps you up at night, or anything at all. Please, promise me that.”

Ava nodded slowly, usually she would have begun to complain that she was fifteen and not a child anymore, now? What else could she do but nod?

”Yeah, I promise, dad,” Ava said and rose up from the bed.

”I’m just going to go out to get some air. I’ll be back soon.”

”Yeah, of course, kiddo,” her father mumbled behind her as she made her way out from the building and let the slightly chill air cool her down.

Something that still fascinated her was how much that was still rolling at the compound, even though the Avengers themselves were split. The scientists were still working, the soldiers, even Nick Fury was still present, at least she believed that, Ava never knew where that went and came from. And she wasn’t sure if she ever would find out at all.

”I never wanted this to happen,” Ava mumbled to herself as she sat down by the water as her hand began to glow.

That was before she manifested it into a small sphere of energy, which she simply tossed out to the water and let it dissolve before it could do any harm to the life there.

”But it did.”

Ava hadn’t been the one who had said that.

She immediately turned around, only to find Selena Castello stand behind her as the shadows around her began to dissolve.

”How the hell do you know that?” Ava demanded and rose up to meet her birth mother’s dark eyes.

Eyes that looked just like her own.

”When you can control shadows, you quickly learn how live in them,” Selena simply stated, which Ava didn't take as a very good answer, but she didn't say anything about it.

”You need to learn how to control your powers better, Ava.”

”That was one time, I know how to control my powers,” she snapped at her and felt her eyes glow again, which made Selena raise her eyebrow at her skeptically.

”You call that control? I’m not even sure you know what your powers really are,” she stated and shook her head, making Ava narrow her eyes.

”Yeah, I do,” she protested, which made Selena raise her eyebrow at her.

”Ask your father to run another test on your powers.”

”And what has this to do with controlling them?” Ava questioned while she had begun to grow tired of her mother’s banter about nothing.

”The more you know about them, the more you can control them,” Selena stated simply.

”Your powers are keyed to your emotions. And your greatest problems are probably when you're angry, scared or sad, right? That’s something you have to work on, you can’t just make your eyes glow every time someone pisses you off. Because if you won’t control yourself then, controlling yourself in a more dire situation will be next to impossible. You have to separate your emotions from your powers, or else they will basically become one.”

”Let me guess, you were the prodigy of the Inhumans back in your days, right?” Ava questioned and rolled her eyes as she let the glow fade away in them.

She already had a genius, billionaire, Avenger as her dad, she wouldn't be surprised if her mother was a prodigy amongst her people. In fact, she would be surprised if she _wasn’t_.

”No, definitely not,” Selena said and laughed, lighting up her face which was awfully strange to see.

And she wasn't talking about the scar either.

”After my Terrigenesis, I almost killed two people after I had forgotten to tie my shoes. Trust me Ava, I know what you're dealing with, especially when it comes to dangerous powers. You’re not the only who has killed someone.”

Ava raised her eyebrow stunned at her, before she remembered the incident in the alley, her mother had been ready to kill those boys, almost like she had done it before. It was only now she realized that she had done it before.

”When?” Ava wondered and tilted her head slightly.

”A couple years ago,” Selena began as she slowly sat down, making Ava do the same thing, although a feet from the woman.

”It was me, my husband and our daughter—yes, Ava, you heard right—and we decided to live on our own without Afterlife. Jiaying didn’t like it at first, but she let us, she couldn't force us to stay, after all. We settled down in Colorado and lived there for seven years, at least until the ATCU came after us. I think you can figure out what happened after that.”

Selena had had a husband, a child, a family. And their heritage had been the reason behind her losing it all. Ava was willing to bet that she had gotten that scar the same day ATCU had taken everything away from her.

”I had a sister?” Ava whispered terrified and swallowed down the thick lump that had formed in her throat.

”Her name was Layla, she was just like her father,” Selena mumbled numbly and shook her head.

”Almost had the same powers, at least we believed that, she only had them for six months, before the ATCU slaughtered her, and I them.”

”I’m sorry for your loss,” Ava told as she let the energy run around her fingers like little snakes.

”How old was she?”

Selena took a deep breath as her posture seemed to change from the deadly dark blade— to a human being with too much on her shoulders.

Just like her own dad, Ava realized and felt something in her gut twist by the revelation.

”She was three years younger than you,” Selena stated as tears began to surface, much to Ava’s horror.

No matter how much someone would tell her that she was Ava’s mother, seeing a near-stranger cry was simply horrifying, how much could she say to her without being too pushy or too cold?

”She ate the pills, right?” Ava questioned, before she mentally slapped herself for the terrible question while her birth mother was crying.

Selena simply nodded, her face expression not revealing a single thought about what she had thought of Ava’s stupid question, much to her own relief.

”Layla was a telepath, her father was an empath, I was the black sheep in our family,” she told and laughed weakly.

”My girl saved my life, if not for her… I’d have been dead.”

”I don't know what to say,” Ava mumbled and made Selena chuckle slightly as she put a hand on her shoulder.

”Just promise me that you will learn how to control your powers, I don't want more of our people killed by the others,” she said and rose up.

”Can’t you teach me?” Ava questioned and rose up too, which made her marvel the physical similarities they shared now when she could see her in the daylight.

They were even the same height.

”If I had been good enough at teaching, but I’m not,” Selena admitted and smirked slightly.

”That’s one thing I miss with the Afterlife, we had all kinds of Inhumans, but now we have the Accords instead. And they are a leash around our necks that we need to get rid of.”

With that, a thick mist of Dark force formed around Ava’s mother until it hid her completely, just the way she almost had killed those guys in the alley months ago. As Ava reached out to touch the cold anti-matter, the mist dissipated to reveal nothing but air, leaving Ava alone by the water with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

 


	16. Date night

”I sense that something is troubling you, Ava,” Vision stated while she was sitting in the sofa in front of him while she constantly tried to make sure that she didn't look like a disaster in front of the small mirror she held up with the help of a psychic pillar.

”Is it some kind of Infinity Stone thing?” Ava wondered and smiled slightly at him, which made him chuckle slightly.

If it hadn't been for the fact that Vision was synthetically made artificial intelligence who could shoot out energy beams from his head, she would certainly could have seen him like that chill family friend who knew everything. 

On the other hand, she already saw him like one, anyway. The only thing that he lacked was a pair of glasses.

”No, I have simply learnt how to analyze face expressions and body language,” Vision replied.

”Have do you feel? Your father told me what happened.”

”Well, I've been better,” Ava admitted.

”But even though it’s only been a couple hours ago, I try to not think about it too much. It is better to do that than thinking about something I couldn't stop.”

”Of course, I can understand that,” Vision stated and tilted his head slightly as he seemed to deduct every move she made.

At least he tried to be subtle about it.

”Who is this significant other you're going to meet this evening?”

Ava laughed slightly while she shook her head as she could feel her face heat up slightly. The word Vision used to describe Peter… 

”It’s, um, I’m going out with MJ, Harry Osborn and Peter Parker,” Ava told as she applied another layer of mascara on her lashes.

”It’s more of a hangout than a date, that’s what MJ calls it, at least.”

Vision nodded slightly as checked the clock on the wall, which Ava had wanted to put up there. 

”Well, I do hope that you will have a good time with your friends tonight,” Vision stated and smiled friendly at her.

”Who will drive you there?”

”Dad will actually drive me to the edge of the city, I’ll then use the Strike Express, the mask doesn't smudge the makeup, and I can do some patrolling before,” Ava stated as she gestured to her suit in her lap, which Tony seemed to have mended during the hours she had been unconscious.

Bless that man’s soul, Ava thought as she began to rise up.

”Just want to do something good, you know.”

 

”I’ll fetch you by the Tower by 11.30, all right, kiddo?” Tony wondered and made Ava nod in full Strike mode as she made sure that no one was there to see her climb out of the car.

”Yeah, copy that,” she said and cast another glance around herself, just to be completely sure.

”Send my love to Parker!” her father yelled as Ava loaded up energy in her feet before she jumped forty feet up in air as she let the flight take over.

And once again, Ava was quite sure that she actually spotted Daredevil doing Daredevil business, but she didn't stop to say hello, she had both a date and some patrolling to do. Plus, it wasn't like she knew him anyway, the only thing they had in common was that they both were vigilantes who Jameson published bullshit about all the time. Maybe she could invite him for some tea where they could complain about the Daily Bugle.

”Gosh, Daredevil drinking tea, I would want to see that,” she said to herself just as she spotted an old woman getting robbed of her purse.

Didn't some people have some kind of honor? Ava thought annoyed before she swooped down and landed right in front of the mugger, which made her halt and almost run right into her.

”Didn’t someone tell you that stealing is bad?” Ava questioned before she punched the woman in the stomach.

As the mugger groaned in pain and discomfort, she managed to snatch back to bag from her, right before she jumped high up in the air with a small boost with the purse in her hand. 

The old woman’s reaction when Ava landed in front of her was rather hilarious, especially since she looked more like a five year old little girl than a seventy year old lady.

”Can I take a picture?” she asked her, which made Ava tilt her head both confused and surprised, that was the first time.

”It’s for my grandkids, they love you.”

”Sure,” Ava replied while she was still quite stunned, but she did a superhero for the woman as she made her suit glow blue as the lady snapped a photo.

”Thank you, dear,” the lady said and gave Ava a wrinkly smile.

”No worries, ma’am,” she responded and winked before she shot up in the air and continued with her patrolling, which consisted of some brawls (without a planned attack) drunk drivers, the usual.

That was, until she saw the car right below her collide into a wall, much to her worry. It didn't make her feel better when it began to burn like crazy.

”Get away from here, this thing can explode any minute!” Ava yelled at a couple of civilians who were running around in panic while another one was calling 911.

By just feeling the smell of burnt and hearing the child —there was a child inside there?!— Ava immediately got reminded of what had happened hours ago, until she pushed back in her mind as she tried to open the car without hurting the kid in there.

”Just take it easy, I’m gonna get you out, okay?” Ava mumbled to the crying toddler inside the car while her heart pounded inside her chest so harshly that she was afraid that it would hurt her ribs.

”Open up!”

Unfortunately, Ava couldn't speak to metal, and she could certainly not pry open a locked car.

”Get out of the way!” a familiar voice yelled, making Ava sigh in relief as Spidey pushed her away from the door before he easily managed to open up the car and pull out the passed out parent while Ava leaned in to grab the little boy.

”Spidey, I think the car’s gonna—” Ava began, just as the vehicle behind them blew up.

Just before the catastrophe could touch them, she immediately created a forcefield around all of them, but that didn't stop her from seeing the chaos behind her, which didn't help much with the boy crying against her shoulder.

”Another second, and we would have been screwed,” Spidey mumbled and cast a glance at the passed out father and the crying kid.

”Thanks, Glow Stick.”

”It’s cool,” Ava mumbled as she peeled off the forcefield from them and wrapped it around the car like a bag.

To create a forcefield around an apple or a person was one thing, but a vehicle with energy radiating from it after an explosion? That was quite draining, Ava realized as she let go of the energy after she had managed to extinguish the flames from the car.

”Is everyone okay?” Ava questioned as she put down the toddler on the ground as the medic began to take care of the father.

”No casualties, ma’am,” the paramedic replied and glanced at the car, which some firefighters checked in case Ava had been sloppy.

”I guess that we are no longer needed then,” Ava stated and nodded slightly before she took off in the air and landed on a rooftop close to the area, just as Spidey joined her.

”You okay?” he wondered as Ava fell down on the hard concrete in exhaustion.

”Yeah, just need to take a small break,” she breathed out.

”I’m not talking about the car, Glow Stick,” Spidey stated and made Ava rise up in sitting position while studying the spider in front of her, who didn't seem to have been exhausted by pulling out people from falling cars.

On the other hand, he hadn't been creating a forcefield around an exploding car.

”I killed him,” Ava mumbled and sighed slowly.

”Before you say anything, no, I didn't do it on purpose. I just… It exploded out of me like a bomb. I’m just happy that you weren't there then.”

For a whole minute, both of them didn't say a single word to each other, but Ava could still feel his eyes on her as she closed her own for a short second, before she opened them again.

”How are you feeling?” Spidey finally asked and made Ava look up at him again.

”I try to tell myself that I couldn't do anything, that Gargan simply wouldn't have left, even if a bomb would explode in his face,” she began slowly.

”But… I don't know, I’m just— I’m just trying to not blame myself too much, that I can still use my powers to do good and not only create destruction. I mean, this was one time, I won’t let it happen again.”

”Do your parents know about this?” Spidey wondered, making Ava nod.

”I only live with my dad, but yeah, he knows everything,” she admitted, there was no idea to hide it, he already knew that her father knew about her Strike persona.

Even though he didn't know that her dad was Tony Stark.

”Mine doesn’t,” Spidey stated, but Ava wasn't looking at his face anymore.

Not when she could spot large spots of some sort of thick black substance on his suit, much to her concern. 

”You know that you, uh, got this… thing on your suit,” she began slowly and pointed at his chest, making him widen his eyes, which she somehow could see even if he had a mask on.

”Shit, Mr. Stark would not be happy if he saw this,” he muttered.

”Hey, uh, what’s the time?”

Ava grunted slightly while she dug up her phone from her which pocket, just to get a minor heart attack when she found out the time.

18.56, and she would be at Time Square by seven, she literally had less than five minutes to change clothes and get her ass to the place.

”6.56, I gotta go, I’ll see you around!” Ava exclaimed and jumped down from the rooftop before she flew to an alley close to Time Square and managed to put on her top just as her phone rang, much to her distress.

”Hey!”

 _”Where the hell are you?”_ MJ demanded while Ava was pulling up her jeans over her legs before getting into the usual sneakers.

”I ran into a car accident, but I'm fine! Just trying to get to Time Square without getting hit by a taxi!” Ava lied as she sprayed some perfume over her to mask the smell of burnt gasoline.

”I’ll be there in three minutes, I promise!”

After she had managed to hang up, Ava checked once again that she looked presentable before she ripped off the nano mask and the braid, making her hair fall down to her waist in gentle waves that would be impossible to get rid of.

”Come on now, two minutes left!” Ava grumbled before she took off to the place, where she might have used her powers a little bit to get her to Time Square faster, but not enough for Peterson to ask her about steroids.

 

”Can’t believe you managed to get here on two minutes,” MJ stated when Ava arrived just seconds before Peter had come running from the other direction while looking more stressed than she felt.

Although she was very happy that she hadn't been the only one who was late.

”Me neither,” Ava stated and shook her head slightly before she cast a small glance at Harry, who was quietly ’scolding’ Peter for always being late.

The second she had found out that Harry and MJ might would become a thing, Ava had bet that they would be the hottest couple in sophomore, or perhaps even the whole school. 

Because both of them were so good-looking that Ava almost began to cry by just thinking about their offspring. A girl with MJ’s fiery red hair and Harry’s blue eyes, or a boy with his sharp jawline and MJ’s piano hands. 

The amount of combinations Ava could come up with always ended with all of them being ridiculously good.

”Glad I'm not the only one who’s late,” Ava joked and smiled at the messy haired Peter, even though she only could think of the morning incident, which felt like an eternity ago.

”Yeah, there was this car accident, the car actually exploded!” Peter stated as they entered the bowling hall, making Ava widen her eyes.

Had Peter been there? But she hadn't seen a trace of him at the place, at least what she remembered. 

On the other hand, it had been quite stressful with getting out the kid of the car and then keep them from being roasted by the explosion.

”You were there too? It was so scary!” Ava admitted.

”I mean, I almost thought that they all would die for a second, or was it only me?”

”No, definitely not, it was scary,” Peter agreed and nodded as they entered the bowling alley, which glowed more than Ava did, which actually said a lot.

 

”You set a strike, _again_? What?” Ava exclaimed later on as Harry managed to set another strike.

”Harry, please tell me your secret.”

”I’m Batman,” Harry joked and smirked as Peter rose up to pick up a ball from the machine.

Although he seemed to try to hide the weight from them, Ava could spot a 16 pounds on the sphere, which made her immediately raise her eyebrow suspiciously. Even though she had seen his body before, the fact that he carried the bowling ball so casually surprised her, a lot. Especially when he tossed the ball as easily as it was to throw a rubber ball. And it wasn't like Peter lifted any weights on P.E, he usually avoided the weights and let the rest of the guys in the class flex with their muscles after doing five reps each.

”Dang, Parker!” MJ exclaimed as Peter too set a strike, his fifth actually, after seven rounds.

”Someone’s having a good day,” Ava commented and grinned as she made her way to the bowling balls and picked up the green one, which she always had used.

”I guess,” Peter simply said and shrugged as Ava tossed away the bowling ball and watched it roll forward in a rather high speed.

If she had been thinking right, hopefully it would hit the pin in the front.  
Which it didn’t, of course. Although she got down 8 of 1o, so that was still a plus.

”It was at least better than your last one,” MJ joked as Ava picked up the next before she rolled her eyes.

”The light blinded me for a moment, shut your face,” she replied with a smirk as she managed to hit the two remaining pins, much to her relief.

”So, did you guys hear about that new Chitauri thing they found near Empire State building?” Harry wondered and made both Ava and Peter raise their eyebrows surprised.

For being part-alien and a Stark, she sure as hell knew nothing about the aftermath of the Battle of New York, at least not until someone else told her about it.

”When?” Peter questioned as MJ also set a strike, much Ava’s exasperation.

”Today, didn't you watch the news?” MJ questioned.

”I had a lot to do,” he simply stated while Ava used her ’migraine’ as an excuse, when being hunted by a crazy human scorpion had actually been the reason.  
Along with being unconscious for a couple hours after killing said human scorpion.

”What kind of object was it? Another functioning Chitauri weapon?” Ava asked and put a fry in her mouth.

”No, there was this piece of exoskeleton, which looked like the normal alien armor, except that it was completely black,” MJ began while Harry was beginning to throw the ball.

”But it simply melted into black goo when they tried to pick it up, they still haven't found it yet.”

”That was weird,” Ava mumbled to herself, remembering the black ooze on Spidey’s suit.

It couldn't have been oil, oil wasn't _that_ thick, maybe that opaque but certainly not that viscous. Besides, where would the oil had come from? 

All of it had either been burning, or simply run out on the pavement, there was no chance that Spidey could have gotten oil on him when lifting out that civilian, otherwise Ava would have gotten it too.

”What’s weird?” Peter questioned as he seemed slightly stiffer than before, for some odd reason.

”Nothing… Well, it’s weird that they haven't found it, isn't it? I mean, it simply couldn't have disappeared like nothing, right?” Ava stated as Harry shrugged.

”At least it’s nothing that can be found on earth,” he said.

”If there was any known element that could do it, I can bet that dad would have sold our house to get it to create new suits,” Ava stated and rolled her eyes.

”My dad would have killed for it,” Harry added and grinned.

”But it would be cool to know what it was. Just because, you know.”

Ava nodded slowly as she once again rose up from the seat, her thoughts being both on the bowling and the strange black liquid. 

Could that liquid on Spidey’s suit have been the strange element?

 

”To my defense, I had migraine before, so me being a total loser tonight can be explained,” Ava protested on their way back from the bowling alley.

”Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” MJ joked and grinned at her, making Ava huff and pout jokingly.

”At least you didn't throw the ball outside the track,” Harry chimed in as he put an arm over MJ, which Ava raised her eyebrow over surprised.

Had they been dating before this date, or was it only Ava who wasn't observant? Probably the latter.

Ava simply grimaced at that while Peter was chuckling amused.

”Thanks, Harry,” she said and snorted.

”Well, see you on Monday.”  
”Yeah, bye,” MJ said and gave Ava a quick hug before she and Harry headed for Harry’s place, since she apparently would crash there.

Although she had been very clear with that they wouldn't have sex on their first date, so Ava wouldn't have to worry about MJ not being able to walk the next day.

”You know, I had a fun time tonight,” Ava began as she pushed away a pice of her hair that had come in the way.

”Yeah, me too,” Peter said and smiled slightly.

”So, uh… Do you think that they’re going to um…”  
”Hook up?” Ava finished and grinned amused.

”Nah, I was promised by MJ that it would not happen, at least not on the first date. And I'm pretty sure that she’ll keep it.”

”Harry was kinda the same,” he told.

”But how are you feeling? I mean, it was only yesterday when you got attacked. Did I suck at stitching?”

Ava laughed a bit at that as she pulled her jacket tighter around herself before she spotted something move in the shadows, much to her confusion and slight paranoia. She really hoped it wasn't her mother, that would be rather uncomfortable. Especially since Ava wasn't sure how Selena would react when seeing her with a boy, at night, alone.

It probably was a cat, a person, or perhaps Daredevil again. 

What was it with her and Daredevil? Ava wasn't completely sure, but she was being to suspect that she had a slight celeb (vigilante) crush on that man.

”No, you were great, Peter,” Ava assured him and smiled.

”Look, uh, my dad’s picking me up here since we live at the Facility nowadays. Just… Um, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to crash there. I mean, neither Rhodey, Vision or my dad would mind.”

Ava was terrible at this. 

Perhaps because every time she had gotten interested in a guy and subtly tried to flirt with him, her dad usually found out and scared the poor guy to death. And after the awkward incident with dating a guy named Johnny (where some fire and lots of father-daughter arguments were involved) Ava had given up on dating as long as she lived under the same roof as her father. 

But Tony and Peter were on good terms, and her father had been joking about Peter and Ava dating since they had become study buddies (until Peter had told him about Liz) so perhaps he wouldn't blast Peter with his suit if she asked him nicely.

”Um, yeah, uh, I’d love to, really,” Peter began slowly as he looked rather distressed. ”But the thing is that… I need to do some homework— At home. I'm not sure if I'm a hundred percent sure on everything for the test…”

What a lie, Ava thought as she stopped a frown from surfacing on her face. He’d killed it at studying yesterday, hell, he even mentioned stuff that Bruce would have been proud over. That Peter was not sure on that test was bullshit. If he really couldn't tag along, he would have said some about his aunt, right?

”Yeah, uh, you know what? Just forget what I said,” Ava stated as her cheeks burned, hopefully the darkness could cover it.

”Look, I get that you like Liz —Liz is a great person— but I just got confused about this morning, I guess that I was getting my hopes up—”

”Wait, you were _awake_ then?” Peter managed to say before she interrupted him from interrupting her.

”And I’m sorry if I seem very forward right now or if I have creeped you out. But I promise! It’s okay to be friends, I'm cool with that,” Ava rambled as she avoided looking at Peter the whole time.

”I just…”

Ava didn't say more than that —thankfully— as she could spot her father’s car not far away from her.

”Well, there’s my ride,” Ava mumbled and smiled slightly at Peter as she began to head for the bright orange car she had never been relieved to see in her whole life.

”See you on Monday.”

”Ava, I—” she managed to hear Peter say before she got into her dad’s car.

”That didn't sound good, what’s up with Parker?” Tony questioned confused as Ava barely cast a glance behind them.

”Nothing that you have to worry about, dad,” Ava simply said and crossed her arms over her chest slowly.

”I guess that you found out about Liz, right?”

”Known for a while, I've seen both he and Ned Leeds stare at her since forever,” Ava stated and rolled her eyes.

”I was stupid, don't blast him to bits, please?”

Tony raised his eyebrow suspiciously, but fortunately, he didn't say anything more as they continued their way back to the Facility.  
Hold on.

Ava was an idiot. She made it a bigger deal than it actually was. Yes, that’s what she did. And she always complained about girls who exaggerated and made their love seem much more complicated than it actually was. But should she really apologize? Wouldn't she make it sound even more fucked up? 

”Just wanted to tell you that, um, I sort of eavesdropped on you guys a couple of days ago, you know, when you and Peter talked about Liz,” Ava admitted and smiled uncomfortably and made her father freeze for brief second.

”How much did you hear?” Tony questioned suspiciously and made Ava shrug slightly.

”Your bad girl advice to Peter and him lying about Liz,” she told, making Tony raise his eyebrow confused.

”Lying about— What? I don't follow.”

”He stated that they're friends, right? Well, newsflash: They barely speak to each other. And I'm serious, that’s the only thing I heard, I promise. I didn't hear any of your super duper secrets,” Ava assured him and rolled her eyes.

”It’s not like Peter’s Spider-Man.”


	17. Beth

”Good morning,” Ava greeted Vision before she opened the fridge to take out the smoothie from yesterday.

Coming home from a double date after saving kids from burning cars really made you incapable of measuring the right amount of smoothie you wanted.

”Any news on the web, Vision?”

Vision —who was sitting in the couch while looking at the wall blankly as he was dancing around on the Internet— tilted his head slightly as he was completely silent for a second while Ava was pouring herself the poison green fruit mixture.

”Yes, I do,” Vision stated and frowned while Ava raised her eyebrow curiously.

”I do not believe that you will like it, but you should search on US Magazine.”

Ava nodded slowly and set down the glass while she took out her phone to go into the website before she projected the screen into a hologram in the air.

What she found… Was not what she had expected. 

 

**_WHO IS AVA’S NEW LOVE INTEREST THIS TIME?_ **

_Aveline ’Ava’ Stark, Tony Stark’s 15 year old daughter —known by most for arguing with her dad about the boys she’s allowed to date— might have finally found a man her father finds suitable for her._

_During this year, Stark has been seen with a mysterious guy more times than the Avengers manage to blow up things. This evening, they were spotted on their way to the Avengers Tower, where witness state that they could hear them have a discussion about relationships and the likes, even bits of jealously here and there. Is it possible that this new young man will live up to her father’s hard standards, or will this end up just like last time?_

_We all remember the little fight young Stark had with her father last year right after her first year in high school, where witnesses actually can tell that they could see flames of fire and something red and gold —which we all know was Tony Stark himself— that shot out light. Unfortunately, there isn't much we have gotten to hear from the famous Starks about their little ’incident’.  
If you want to know more about Ava’s poor attempts at a love life, see the link below:_

_’Was Steve Rogers running for love?’_

_’Will Stephen Strange lose his fight?’_

_’Stark’s poor attempts at a love life.’_

 

As Ava was scrolling down, she could see paparazzi photos of her and Peter walking home from school together, another time when they were taking the subway, lots of other times, and of course— The time from yesterday where Ava was laughing at when Peter had asked if he’d been bad at stitching.

Paparazzi, could they never leave anyone alone? 

”Some people just don't have a life,” Ava grumbled annoyed as she opened up the other link, only to see pictures of her and Johnny.

That magazine really made it seem like she was a hopeless romantic. 

”Vision, could you please keep my dad away from this magazine as far as possible? He’d mock me forever.”

”Keep me away from what?” she could hear her father ask her, making her freeze as she tried to get down the holograms as quickly as she could.

”Nothing that would bother you, well, except that Strange probably won’t come to your parties anytime soon,” Ava stated, just as her father clicked on the Strange link, before he went right into the article about her, much to her great dismay.

”Oh, what do we have here? Well, let’s see… Oh dear, the paparazzi will one day barge in here to see you eat cereal, I promise,” Tony muttered and rolled his eyes as he scrolled down to read about the Johnny-incident, which made him snort amused.

”But you gotta admit, he was a hothead.”  
Ava rolled her eyes and crossed her arms unamused as she waited for him to comment on any of the photos of her and Peter.

”Do you mean literally or do you mean figuratively? I mean, he was hot in both perspectives,” Ava reminded him and chuckled, which quickly died out when Tony raised his eyebrow at the photo where Ava was smiling broadly at something Peter had said, making her face burn slightly while she tried to hide it by chugging the rest of the smoothie in seconds, which Vision immediately noticed as he watched her slightly concerned.

”Do you actually like him?” Tony asked her after he had gone out of the web and handed her the phone back, which made her go quiet for a couple of seconds.

”How long?”

”Don’t know really,” Ava admitted carefully and shrugged.

”I mean, I've always liked him as a friend, but as something else… I don't know, a while, I guess?”

”But you do know that he—” her father began before she interrupted him.

”Likes Liz? Yeah, noticed that in freshman year,” Ava stated and chuckled in slight bitterness.

”You wanna talk about it?” Tony wondered before she shook her head.

”Not really, I still blush over the horrible memory of fucking things up yesterday,” Ava muttered and set down the empty glass in the dish washer.

”You know what I'm going to do now?”

”Let me guess, fly around like Superman in the city?” he questioned as he made himself a cup of black coffee, which Ava found disgusting.

Not only because of it being completely without any sugar or milk, but also because she loathed coffee.

”My dear father, you never told me that you were a mind reader,” Ava said sarcastically before she went to her room to get some Strike things, when she also met Rhodey on the way.

”I know that you'll hate me, Ava,” Rhodey began as he looked at the nano mask hanging loosely in her hand.

”But how many times have you been out this week?”

”Most of my free time? Except some boxing sessions with Happy, along with the date yesterday,” Ava stated and shrugged, which made him snort.

”Take a break, kid.”

”I don't want to,” she simply said before she continued out until she found herself outside and breathed the crisp air of the early autumn.

”Can’t take a break,” Ava mumbled to herself as she jumped up in the air and pushed herself forward in the air to get to the city.

”Spidey can’t do all the job.”

 

Hours later that had consisted of the usual Strike things (like stopping cars with forcefields, muggers, occasional robberies) Ava landed in another alley with a new idiot who seemed to like beating up people.

”Didn’t someone tell you to pick on your own size?” Ava questioned.

”No, scratch that, didn't anyone tell you that you shouldn't beat people up at all?”

”My boyfriend cheated on me with this son of bitch, can’t you just leave people alone for once?” the woman snapped as she held the other guy by his collar.

Some people were really blind when it came to their own actions.

”Not really, not when people might get hurt,” Ava stated as she manifested her powers, making her hands glow brightly with the blue plasma-like energy.

”I’m saying it again, leave that guy alone.”

The woman watched her hands with something that did not look like weariness, more like boredom.

”You really think you're the only one in town with fun powers?” she questioned as Ava with great surprise found the woman’s body crack with electricity, and annoyance.

Why did always the bad guys have the dangerous powers?

”Let me guess, fish oil pills?” Ava said as she kept her eyes sorely on the dangling man in her grip, which made her grin amused.

”Works miracles, right?” she said before she launched a bolt of lighting at Ava, which she managed to jump away from in the last second.

”You know, with those powers, you should really become a human battery, you would sell more than Stark,” Ava stated and shot a blast at the Inhuman’s hand, making her let out a small cry before she dropped the man.

”Run!”

”You know another thing I can use my powers for?” the woman questioned before Ava shot out a new blast, which she only blocked with her own, making the two different energies interact for a hot second.

That was, until they both hit their original target respectively and made both of them fall backwards, which made Ava’s body twitch and the woman’s clothes and small parts of her skin sizzle with smoke.

”Not fry fellow Inhumans?” Ava questioned before she winced in pain by the sudden shock jolting through her body, making the other woman laugh at her.

”You wish,” she said as she got up on her feet before she made her way to Ava with her hand sparking with the electromagnetic energy, which Ava began to consider was worse than psionic energy.

”Please don’t,” Ava mumbled as she projected a blade of her energy and drove it right through the woman’s thigh.

But the thing was the weapon didn't pierce her flesh, not physically. More like a ghost shoving its nonphysical hand through a person. Except that the Inhuman still screamed in pain and threw herself against the wall without any physical damages, much to Ava’s shock.

”What the hell did you do to me?” she growled furiously before she launched a new sphere of electricity at her— which got swallowed up with a cloud of darkness.

A very familiar cloud of darkness, Ava noticed and watched her mother appear and simply trap the Inhuman in a ring of Dark force as she hauled up Ava on her feet.  
”I told you that you should’ve asked your father to diagnose your powers again,” Selena muttered after she somehow had knocked out the woman right before the cloud disappeared like a shadow melting in the darkness.

”You know, I do have a life outside of Inhuman things,” Ava muttered as she hauled herself up on her feet again while she still could feel the side-effects of the attack inside her, which stung like a bitch.

”Really? Because I've seen you out on the streets more times than I can count,” Selena stated and shook her head as she pulled out both pen and paper from her pocket before she wrote something down— in Spanish.

”What’s up with the Spanish?” Ava questioned confused as a snake of Dark force latched itself onto her arm like a leech before it seemed to suck out the last of the electricity from the blast right before it disappeared again.

”Smaller chance that someone will understand what it means,” her mother stated and shrugged while she handed over the little note to Ava, who simply put it inside her thigh pocket, where she also had her phone, which luckily didn't buzz.

”But please, take it out, or else you will forget to ask Stark again.”

”Thanks, I guess…?” Ava muttered right before Selena dissolved in her Dark force again, leaving her alone— again.

Before the Inhuman woman could wake up, she quickly changed into normal clothes that she had dumped on the roof a bit earlier: With a huge hoodie and sunglasses on (after the little article on the web, she didn't want to take any risks) she made her way to the closest café she could find (which was just by the Tower) where she bought herself a sandwich for lunch and a cuppa before she sat down by a little table. 

Both Rhodey, Tony and Selena were right, she was out a lot, but wasn't that just right? When she had powers that she could use for good, she had to do it.

”Waiting for the Big guy?” a blonde waitress asked her friendly, making Ava look up from her texting her dad ( _”Fried? And you’re still alive?” ”You’re the one to talk, Iron Man.”_ ) in confuse.

”What?”

”Ah, you know, Iron Man. He used to fly by once in a while, although he hasn't done that in a while,” the waitress (her sign said Beth) told and smiled slightly, which almost made Ava laugh.

”Nah, just really liking this place,” Ava told as she took off her sunglasses and put them on the table.

”Sounds like you've said it a couple of times, right?”

Beth chuckled slightly as Ava could detect small traces of a smile, which immediately triggered her curiosity.

”Actually, I have only said it once,” she admitted.

”And guess to whom? Captain America! Just a few days before he saved my life during the… _you know_.”

Battle of New York, of course, Ava thought. 

The portal had been just above this place, it would have been strange if the Chitauri would _not_ have attacked them here. That it actually had been four years ago! So much had happened since then. 

 _Too_ much had happened.

”You still remember it?” Ava wondered and made the waitress nod.

”Of course, everything,” she said.

”It’s sad that he’s on the run, with the Accords and all. I would do anything to get to see him and say thank you for what he did.”

”Yeah, I miss him too,” Ava mumbled as she rose up while she scrambled in pocket for some money to pay in her jacket, which she actually found.

Except that it was 50 dollars and not three dollars along with some tip.

”Keep the change,” Ava said as she put the bill in the waitress’ hand as she let the famous Stark smirk appear, which made Beth the waitress widen her eyes slightly, but not say a word as Ava exited the café quietly.

Just before she decided that she would head home soon, she spotted something dark move in the shadows, which again sparked her curiosity and caused her to follow the figure to a completely empty alley.

”Hello? Anyone here?” Ava said out loud before she face palmed because of her idiocy.

It wasn't like it would answer her if there wasn't anyone here.

”Thank god that you actually noticed me,” a familiar voice spoke up, causing Ava to turn around to meet a couple of large white eyes.

Well, larger than they had been before. And what surprised her even more was that his suit wasn't red and blue anymore. Instead, a jet black suit covered his entire body, much to her confusion.

”Has dad already upgraded your suit?” Ava questioned stunned as she took off her sunglasses and set them on her head, making Spidey to shake his head.

”Nah, there was this really weird goo on my normal suit yesterday after a car accident. And then when I woke up today, I got this killer thing instead,” Spidey stated and laughed slightly.

”And it’s awesome! I mean, I don't even need web shooters anymore! And it’s really cool too, it can even—”

”Hold on, Spider Boy, you can ramble on how much you want about this cool suit, but you're bleeding, a lot,” Ava mumbled as she set her eyes on the red spot on his abdomen, which only seemed to grow larger for every second.

”Yeah, that’s sort of the thing I’d like you to help me with,” Spidey stated before he jumped down and landed gracefully in front of her.

”I can give you a ride to the Tower again.”

Ava —who had been staring at the large stain— tore her eyes away from his body before she met his eyes and nodded. The next second, they were soaring in the air again with Spidey’s arm around her waist in a secure grip while he tried to not soil down her with his blood.

”So, this killer suit… It doesn't help with healing?” Ava questioned as they landed on the balcony before she opened the glass door and let him enter before her.

”Sometimes, sometimes not,” Spidey stated as he followed her to her bathroom while Ava tried to figure out how that goo on his suit yesterday had become a suit that worked even better than her father’s suits.

Not that Tony wasn’t flawed, his things were just really well made.

”About this black goo,” Ava began while she dug around in the cabinet for needle, thread and rubbing alcohol,”do you think it’s that exoskeleton near Empire?”

”A friend of mine mentioned it yesterday, something about a piece of exoskeleton that simply melted into black goo when touched. And since they haven't found it yet, maybe it got into the car and latched itself on you before the car exploded.”

”You were there yesterday, right?” Spidey wondered while Ava motioned to him to sit down on the edge of the bathtub before Ava washed her hands thoroughly.

”Yeah, I had a double date with my friends Mary Jane, Harry and Peter, actually,” she admitted as she soaked a bit of cotton with alcohol before she cast a glance at the suit.

”Could you please take off the suit? But you can keep the mask on, if you want to.”

Much to Ava’s surprise, the suit melted away from his torso like liquid (which also made her suspect that he wouldn't have needed to uncover _that_ much skin) but she didn't comment on it.

”God, you look worse than my dad,” Ava muttered as she carefully began to disinfect the wound with the cotton pad, making Spidey hiss in discomfort.

”Trust me Spidey, the needle will be worse.”

”Anyway,” Spidey said —before he hissed again as she poured more alcohol on his wound— ”how did your date go?”

Ava raised her eyebrow at Spidey before she began to sterilize the needle and the thread with the alcohol (while subtly using her powers to fry the bacteria a bit extra) while she wondered why the spider from all of sudden was so interested in her love life.

”Most of the night was good,” Ava began slowly just as she kneeled down to the full access to the large wound over his abs, while once again marveling the chiseled muscles.

” _Most?_ ” 

”I fucked it up at the end, I said things that I shouldn't have said, that’s all,” she stated firmly right before she pushed the needle through his skin, which made him curse lowly.

”How did you mess things up?” he wondered before he hissed again as Ava continued to stitch the large cut while using the rest of his stomach for support, which was much harder than she had expected.

”Said the wrong things too soon, brought up names that I shouldn't have mentioned at all, that’s it,” Ava said.

”Why so curious from all of sudden? How many times have we even met? Once? Twice?”

”Well, I sort of read this article a couple hours ago…” Spidey began and made her groan loudly in exasperation.

”Like I said, I mucked it up, and now the media won’t let me go for a while,” Ava muttered before she sighed.

”It’s just like when I dated Johnny last year, the paparazzi enjoyed mine and my father’s little fight for weeks.”

”Johnny Storm? That jerk?” Spidey exclaimed stunned, causing Ava chuckle slightly right before he winced again.

”I was fourteen and shallow at that time, and he was blazing hot,” she protested before smirked over her little pun.

”What, you know that guy?”

”Run into him a couple of times,” he simply said before Ava cut off the thread.

”Anyway, don't you think you should talk to Peter? Maybe this was all a misunderstanding. I know how guys work, we’re sometimes really confused and don't really get much.”

Ava smiled before she disinfected the stitches again while trying to figure out while the spider was so interested in her love life. One article couldn't make one _that_ obsessed.

”Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil,” she said and snorted amused as both she and Spidey rose up again as Ava kept her eyes on Spidey’s naked torso for some reason.

Maybe because it looked oddly familiar, _too_ familiar. Had she seen those abs before, on someone else? Definitely not on Steve, that guy was _beefy_ , really beefy. Same thing with Thor, she would definitely be able to see if his abs looked like theirs. They were more… Lean. He wasn't skinny, not bulky, simply gracefully lean with prominent muscles. And why the hell was she analyzing his abs?

”Do you need me to guide you out?”

”Yeah thanks,” Spidey said as the suit appeared on his body again like a sentient being (which was crazy) before she led him out to the large glass wall.

”So, this is where I’ll leave you, gotta get home, you know,” Ava stated and smirked slightly.

”Yeah, thanks for stitching me up. You're my life saver,” Spidey thanked her and caused her to shrug.

”It’s cool. I mean, you already save people in this city every day.”

”Well, I’m not doing it alone, I bet my friend Glow Stick is out there right now,” Spidey stated and laughed slightly.

”Glow Stick?”

”Strike, you know, because she glows all the time,” he explained just as he raised his hand to push away a piece of her hair that had come in her face, causing Ava to widen her eyes slightly while her heart began to beat faster.

”Yeah, I guess,” Ava mumbled as she could feel energy build up in her body before it began to reach her eyes, which immediately reminded her of what Selena had told her yesterday and quickly let it die out.

For some reason, it felt like her body had frozen into ice, she couldn't move, just as much as she had been able to do at the Leipzig airport. But this time, she hadn't crashed right into a van, and definitely not as Ava instead of Strike. 

It didn't get better when Spidey leaned in as the lower part of his mask began to melt away to reveal his lips that soon met her own.

To be honest, she had never thought about kissing Spider-Man, not even once. So when Ava could feel his soft lips move against hers while his hands were cupping her face carefully, she also felt this strange feeling, this _something_ inside her. And not her usual psychic energy, no, this was different. 

To kiss Spidey, the same Spidey who often cracked really bad jokes after a patrol if they met each other, the guy who’d been wearing those glasses, Spidey whom she saw as a friend, it simply felt _wrong_ , yet it still felt _right_ at the same time. She couldn't kiss Spidey, would be as strange as kissing MJ or Wanda, because they were her friends. 

Then why could she feel that growing sensation in her body then?

Ava hastily pulled away from his lips while the energy grew inside her as it reached her eyes, much to her horror. 

He couldn't see it, he couldn't see her as this, not now.

”You okay?” Spidey asked her wearily as Ava quickly turned her back to him before she tried to force down the glowing energy from her eyes, anywhere but her eyes.

”Yeah, it’s just… Weird,” she began slowly before she got the courage to turn back to meet his masked face again as she tried to stop the energy from surfacing anywhere on her body as long as Spidey was there.

”I mean, I don't even know you!”

”Yes, you do,” Spidey stated and made Ava raise her eyebrow suspiciously as he opened up the door to get to balcony.

”I do?”

Unfortunately, she didn't get more than that, because he had already left the building.


	18. Leather

Ava spent the next days trying to avoid both Peter and Spidey, which was quite hard since she spotted at least one of them at least once a day since she and Peter shared 75% of their lessons while it almost was impossible to not meet Spidey while patrolling. And even though he’d kissed Ava and not Strike, she could still remember him leaning in and setting his lips on hers. 

Her cheeks still reddened from the memory.

It didn't get much better because of the fact that MJ and Harry had become official since their double date (which stimulated lots of giggles from Sally and Liz) which often led to them spending a lot of time together, which led to Peter and Ava having to spend time together outside school. What she had told him about them continuing being friends was true, but the memory that Ava had rambled on about their relationship still burned in humiliation every time she looked at him. 

And she hated that feeling.

”What the hell’s going on with you and Peter?” MJ questioned one day, right before their chemistry, which Ava raised her eyebrow confused over.

”What do you mean?”

”Oh, you know what I mean,” she muttered and scowled at her annoyed.

”I’ve read the article, I’ve seen what they wrote about ’relationships and jealousy,’and even though I don't believe in 50% of what magazines write, I know that something is going on between you two.”

”Nothing’s going on,” Ava mumbled and sighed as she flipped page in her textbook tiredly, yesterday’s patrol had been awful.

She’d been beaten up again by a couple of robbers this time, she had failed epically at being a good vigilante like Daredevil or Spidey (minus him half exposing his identity) who simply would have been able to beat them up while making a cuppa.

And because of her being sloppy, she had received a few good bruises over her ribs and face that had barely been cover up-able. If not for the old concealer lying on her desk, Ava would have looked like she’d been beaten up, which she had.

”You know that you're a terrible liar, right?” MJ said and snorted, making Ava roll her eyes annoyed.

”I’d call myself a decent liar,” she stated and caused MJ to scowl displeased.

”What happened with you and him going to each other’s places to study? Dude, you’re still lab partners how much you want to avoid it.”

Ava groaned quietly and shook her head in dismay, just as she noticed Peter enter the classroom with both Ned and Harry beside him, which caused her to sink an inch down in her seat while she tried to become invisible right when he walked past her.

And the smell, god, why did Peter freaking Parker have to wear cologne? Ava closed her eyes for a brief second as she slowly breathed in the musky scent of him before she shook her head slightly and flipped a page again. 

But still, should she really talk to him? Or should she just let it go and let it fade away from their memories on its on? Ava looked up from reading about biochemistry (where some of it actually were written by Bruce) and let her eyes rest on Peter as he, Ned and Harry had taken seats two rows from them to the left.

It wasn't until now she noticed that his hair was different, but certainly not in a bad way. He'd still put gel in it, but it was still more curly in the ends, which gave him an air of innocence, which was pretty damn cute. And it certainly didn't help with those brown eyes that were narrowed in concentration as he seemed to work on something that was beyond the level of a sophomore, perhaps even university or Bruce level. Who knew, it was Peter Parker after all. 

It didn't hurt with that dark leather jacket too...

”Ava, you're staring,” MJ hissed beside her and caused Ava to flinch slightly as her cheeks heated up. 

”I'm thinking,” she protested and flipped another unread page to prove her lie. 

”About what's underneath Peter's clothes,” MJ added and made her flush even harder than before. 

If it hadn't been for that trip to Tahiti, her face would have been as red as her friend's hair by now. 

”Oh fuck off,” Ava grumbled as MJ chuckled at her amused, just as the teacher entered the classroom to announce that they were going to do some practical stuff, much to Ava's dismay. 

Because practical stuff in chemistry meant that they had to work in pairs. And because they already had assigned pairs, practical stuff for Ava would be an embarrassing torture since she and Peter were assigned partners. It would have been great a week ago, but now... 

”Why am I always the one with the rotten luck?” Ava muttered to herself and sighed, which cause MJ to roll her eyes and grumble something Ava pretended to not hear.

”Because you are Ava, and fate has given you a chance to fix whatever mess with Peter you've gotten yourself in,” she soon added and smiled slightly in Harry’s direction, who came up to them to give MJ a small peck before returning to his seat while MJ was blushing.

Ava just smiled slightly for MJ’s sake and begrudgingly began to listen to what her teacher was talking about. To be honest, she didn't really listen after he'd told them the thing they'd do (experiment with acids and bases) so she simply let her mind wander off. And it certainly had nothing to do with chemistry. Or well, technically it was. But not in the way Ava would ever use it. Instead, she could hear the sound of a snapping neck, herself losing air and sight and her own screams of plea. And of course, the explosion. Ava could now see it all crystal clear, Gargan’s steaming corpse slumped against the wall, the energy still burning his flesh. The dead feeling in her chest when she hadn't felt a thing for Gargan. She’d felt so… inhuman. And certainly not her usual inhuman, more like a dead zombie alien. 

”Come on now, get your partner and begin!” Mr. Cobbwell said and slammed his hands together, which startled Ava and woke her up from her thoughts and memories, thankfully.

The first thing she saw was that her hands were shaking slightly, sending off tiny blue sparks. With a silent curse, Ava hastily let her energy cease sparking and fade. Thereafter she began to move towards Peter’s table and dropped her books beside his.

”So, acids and bases?” she questioned and went to get the equipment and safety googles along with some coats.

While she was doing that, Peter prepared his table so there would not be an accident which would involve acid destroying the wood.

”Yeah, it’s rather basic, don't you think?” Peter joked and caused her to chuckle at his bad pun.

God, she liked his bad puns.

”I wholeheartedly agree,” she replied before they began to work.

To be honest with herself, Ava enjoyed it. She enjoyed it a lot actually. Ava liked the fact that their movements were synced and fluid like water, instead of jerky and awkward like some others in their class.

”So, how’s it going with you and my dad?” Ava wondered curiously as she dropped some acid into the base to make it neutral, since it was a part of their assignment for today.

Sometimes she wondered if she should have done a Tony and built an engine when she’d been a small child. She could have been studying at the MIT if that had been the case now. On the other hand, she liked the people in her own age. Ava liked MJ, Sally, Liz, even though she was older than them. And she definitely liked Peter. Even though it was something else than friendship.

”Well, I think Mr. Stark thinks I'm okay,” Peter stated and wrote down the effects of what happened with their base and why, which was rather boring.

”I’m very sure he likes you,” Ava told him and laughed slightly, which made him watch her confused.

”Sorry, I just thought of one time of many when he geeked over you during dinner. I am very certain that my old man likes you.”

Just as Peter was going to reply, their teacher showed up and watched them slightly disapprovingly.

”What were you talking about?” Mr. Cobbwell demanded with a rather stern voice.

”Because I am very sure that I did not hear anything about bases and acids.”

Ava stopped herself from rolling her eyes, she didn't want to get in trouble, after all.

”No, sir,” Peter said calmly, even though his face clearly showed annoyance.

”We were just talking about the conclusion.”

Once again, their teacher regarded them skeptically, while Ava asked herself why he couldn't break that sour face.

”You know, the creating a killer robot is not a chemistry thing, wait until engineering.”

Ava narrowed her eyes at him while setting her jaw together to force herself to not reply with something very rude. She was well aware of the fact that a lot of people weren't pleased with her father’s actions, and _that_ she could do nothing about. Although, to insult her father in front of his own daughter was low. 

Before Ava could say something, it was actually Peter who took a step forwards towards their teacher.

”What did you say about Mr. Stark?” Peter demanded lowly, his eyes darkening while his tone had gone to something threatening.

At first, Ava believed that she had just imagined that —it was Peter after all, he’d never hurt a fly— but when she noticed that Mr. Cobbwell had gone slightly pale. And when she saw that, she could firmly confirm that something was off with Peter.

”Nothing, Mr. Parker,” Mr. Cobbwell mumbled while his eyes darted from one shoulder to the other, but never Peter’s eyes, even though Peter was shorter.

Since when did he call Peter ’Mr. Parker’?

”You seem to be finished, am I correct?”

”Yeah, we are,” Peter stated, looking satisfied with the answer he’d gotten out of their teacher.

Ava quickly suppressed a shudder. Even if she hadn't been his target, his eyes and voice had caused her insides to stop functioning for a short second, but it was enough to frighten her.

”I won’t disturb again,” their teacher said left them, causing Ava to glance over to Peter, who seemed to have returned to his normal self.

So it wasn't just his wardrobe that had changed, Ava though to herself while she and Peter were cleaning up after their assignment.

”So what do you think of Liz and Flash dating?” Ava wondered, while something dark and viscous pumped in her body while bewitching her thoughts.

Ah, jealousy was a funny thing. It was slightly scary how it could make you happy over the bad things (or good, depending on who you asked). Liz was after all Peter’s crush, and the fact that she was dating Flash made her unavailable for Peter. Oh dear, she felt so cruel.

To he surprise, he didn't even show the slightest sign of disappointment, which made Ava puzzle over how big his crush actually had been on her. Or if he simply was more compassionate and was happy that she’d found someone. He was too pure for this world, then.

”Liz is nice, Flash however, isn’t,” Peter admitted and scowled.

”She deserves someone better who will actually treat her the way she truly deserves.”

”Do you mean you?”

The words slipped out of her, sounding both bitter and slightly wistful. Why the hell did she say that? Since when had her IQ gone to 50?

Peter’s eyebrows shot up in the air while he regarded Ava confused.

”What?” Peter exclaimed horrified.

”God no, Liz’s a great person, but she’s not my type.”

Now it was Ava’s turn to be shocked. Didn't he like Liz? Then why was he always talking about Liz with her father?

”What?” Ava managed to force out through her lips, just as her phone vibrate in her jeans pocket.

_Can fix the analyzing thing today, how about around 5 o’clock?_

_—Dad_

Ava quickly typed a ’sure’ and sent it to her father before shoving the phone back in her pocket, just as her bell rang.

”Yay, school’s done for today!” Ava cheered slightly and took her books and left the classroom with MJ, Harry and Peter.

While Mj and Harry were talking about something excitedly, Ava was twisting her hand and let her energy run beneath her skin like blood in her veins. She constantly checked that her hand didn't glow of course, or else everyone’s heads would be turning toward her. Probably because they first would believe that she had an Iron Man glove, but they would see it anyway. But she liked the feeling of her ability flowing in her veins, it made her feel safe. Especially as Ava too and not only Strike, since she could use it as a self defense weapon without being detected. She couldn't rely on her mother all the time, after all.

While packing her bag with book (while trying to conceal the suit and mask) Peter showed up beside her as he watched her slightly concerned.

”Ava, the thing you said earlier, and everything from a couple days ago,” Peter began, which cause Ava to panic.

She wasn't ready to be called an idiot for ever believing the thing about Liz, or the fact that she had been foolish to think and hope that there would be anything between them. For being a gifted daughter of Tony Stark, she sure as hell wasn't mature.

”I gotta go, my dad texted me,” Ava mumbled and locked her locker to leave.

Suddenly, she felt a hand around her arm. And the grip was hard, so hard Ava feared bruises on her skin.

”Let me speak,” Peter ordered her, his eyes showing the same darkness as before, causing her insides to freeze.

”Peter, you’re hurting me,” Ava whispered frightened as his fingers began to dig into her arm.  
Ava panicked for just a short second, but it certainly was enough for it to take effect. A ripple of energy danced across her skin like electricity, which caused Peter to flinch and draw his hand away. If Ava hadn't known better, she would have believed that he had received an electric shock. For just a second, not even a second, his eyes showed something else than that horrible darkness, fear. Fear for her? Without wasting another moment, Ava left the building without another word.

 

_”You are home soon, right?”_ Tony asked her over the phone, while Ava was sitting on top of a building while looking for some bad guys to stop.

_”I mean, you’re the one who wanted to diagnose your powers again.”_

Ava nodded distantly while her eyes were sweeping over the strayers. She had around another half hour to do some Strike things, everything to help the people of New York. And sometimes so she could escape from her life and problems as Aveline Stark.

”Yeah, I’ll be home around 5,” Ava replied as she spotted something in Hell’s Kitchen.

Great, some ass kicking would be fun.

”Trouble in Hell’s Kitchen. See you at home, bye.”

With that, Ava hung up and jumped down from the building. Her ponytail was flying around her like a crazy tail as she suppressed her urge to laugh like a madman. She loved the wind soaring in her ears, just before she defied gravitation and soar down to the event.

”Shut up!” one man yelled at the other while holding a little girl in choke hold with a gun on her temple, the ground below them wet.

”Dad!” the girl cried out as her father tried to reassure her, even though he was surrounded by at least five guys.

What the man wanted with the father, she’d never know. Suddenly, the thugs got attacked by someone, and that someone wasn't her. While that vigilante focused on getting rid of them, Ava landed on the ground and kept her eyes on the gun the entire time.

”Just give me the girl, and you can shoot me as much as you want,” Ava began carefully while preparing to react any second.

The man jeeping the girl hostage simply rolled his eyes and pressed the barrel harder against her skull, which caused Ava to pale. She didn't want to see what could happen if she would fail this, she couldn't fail now!

”Jeez, didn't wish that I’d have to do this, but…” Ava mumbled and shook her head disappointedly.

Before the man could do a thing, Ava threw a dagger into his stomach, causing him to scream like someone had shot him. With the time she had bought herself, she shot away the gun from his hand before she took a hold of the girl.

”Hang on tight, okay?” Ava soothed and jumped up in the air with her.

When she was high enough to be safe, Ava created a cube without an upper side around the girl to keep her from harm.

”Stay here and let me and my friend take care of this,” Ava assured and jumped down to help her companion.

And of course, some of them had guns.

”Let’s see… You two, jump when I say so. Got it?”

”What are you going to do?” the masked vigilante questioned with a raspy dark voice,, making Ava smirk behind her mask.

”Can’t ruin the surprise,” she simply stated while her energy pumped through her body, ready to lash out any time.

”Now!”

With her warning, the vigilante and the father jumped up, much to her relief that they actually had listened. Without losing another moment, she shot down a bolt of energy into the ground, which spread around her like electricity in water. The force of her powers knocked out them all in less than a second.

”Glad it worked,” Ava mumbled and sent down the girl to her father before they left the scene hastily.

”First time I tried that.”

Her masked companion reacted strongly at that and seemed to be very disapproved when he said:

”And if it hadn't worked?”

Ava simply shrugged.

”I’d wing it,” she admitted and watched the armored devil fascinated.

The first masked vigilante in New York City, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, the Daredevil. She’d lie if she said that she wasn't impressed.

”It was a while since I saw you,” Ava admitted and smiled slightly.

”Nice job with Fisk and all that, I've never gotten the chance to say it to you, I guess that you've been busy with more gangs.

”How old are you?” Daredevil questioned, seemingly unmoved by her compliment.

Ava raised an eyebrow confused and began to wonder why he’d even asked that. The suit should hide her face, and her body was mature enough to be mistaken for an adult. _That_ she had had a few experiences with.

”Why are you asking?” Ava questioned suspiciously, causing him to shrug slightly.

”Your body, it’s not fully developed,” he stated, which caused Ava to raise her eyebrow.

Last time she’d met him, he’d mentioned heightened senses, but she hadn't realized how heightened they were. If he could know by just smell and hearing, than he certainly was a very enhanced bugger.

”You’re right, I’m fifteen,” Ava stated, knowing that wouldn't hurt since Spidey already knew his age, along with YouTube.

”And I'm sure that you believe that I am too young to be doing this. But when you have these powers like I have, you take the chance of doing good, even if you can endanger your own life.”

Sure, Ava was aware of the fact that there were inhumans in New York that didn't do anything, even if they had great powers, and she could respect that. Their lives were turned upside down with those pills. But Ava had lived in this world since her father became Iron Man, her life had already been crazy. So why not throw in some more crazy?

 

”Is there anything we have missed?” her father asked her as she once agin stood with glowing hands while Tony took samples of both blood and energy.

How he could do the latter thing, she wondered herself, but she didn't mention it. She wanted this test to be done.

”My genes, check. What my powers are, check. What they are capable of and how they are triggered, soon,” Ava said as Tony read through all the data again, just to make sure that they were right.

”Well, it certainly is of the same stuff like always, only that it can mimic fire (which you know) and electricity,” Tony began slowly while his eyes reflected the light from the screen.

”Oh, this was interesting. You can apparently affect that nervous system and the electric impulses in the brain to a slight degree. And like you had theorized, your powers can be activated by your emotions, especially strong emotions, making them a bit unstable (”Just a bit,” Ava snorted) and unpredictable, which is probably the reason why you exploded in that laboratory, since you felt a grave danger for you life, and became scared.”

It made sense, all of it, since she remembered the Inhuman and today’s Strike-ing, where she had created no physical wound, but still managed to cause them agony. And her panic in school, shocking Peter, which she still worried about. What if he’d seen the energy? He’d realize who she was. Although Ava believed that Peter wouldn't hurt her, she wasn't sure what the new Peter could do with that information. 

”Hey, Ava,” Tony called and looked at her puzzled.

”You know Parker? Have you noticed that he's a little… off? A bit aggressive, likes to take the last slice of the pizza and all that?”  
Ava nodded a bit while wondering why her dad was bringing this up, and if he’d seen the same darkness as she had. 

”Yeah, I have,” she only replied.

”Well, here’s the thing, I need a sample,” Tony stated and caused Ava to raise her eyebrows at him.

A sample? From what or whom? Peter? It wasn't like Peter was an enhanced or anything. He couldn't possibly be that…

”From Peter?” Ava questioned while still wondering what the hell Tony was planning.

”Not really, more like his jacket,” he stated and scratched the back of his head while he seemed to think.

”And since, you know, you two are buddies and share classes, maybe you could… you know… cut of a piece of his jacket and give it to me? I’ll explain more when you get it, Okay, kiddo?”

The request from her father sounded absurd, but on the other hand, Peter had begun to wear that leather jacket around the time he’d become a bit different. It wouldn’t be a great idea if it was some alien tech from the Chitauri Invasion or something an Asgardian had dropped on their way to Norway a couple centuries ago. And stuff like that was never good in the hands of a civilian.

”Can’t leave a civilian with an alien thing,” Ava simply said and shrugged.

”Right,” Tony mumbled faintly.

 


	19. Energy BBQ

”Do you think he’ll be here today?” Tony wondered, making Ava shrug before she dumped her eggs right onto her plate.

”I truly have no idea, but since it’s Friday, I’ve only got one chance or else we’ll have to wait until Monday, and that would be annoying,” Ava stated.

”We’ll just have to hope, I believe.”

”Because that works out so well,” her father said and snorted, causing her to roll her eyes.

”You know, in some aspects it is easier to be an adult as a Stark and not a teenager, at least you don't have to wait a whole weekend to fix a sample,” she retorted.

”Let’s just assume that he won’t be here today, no disappointment then.”

Tony shrugged and poured a poison green smoothie into a glass and drained it completely before pouring more smoothie into the glass.

”Yeah, yeah,” he muttered.

 

Fortunately, neither Tony or Ava had to be disappointed for the day, since Peter actually showed up for P.E class. Unfortunately, that meant that he didn't wear his leather jacket. 

Goddammit, Ava thought when she set her eyes on him as he, Ned and Harry took a seat just beside her and MJ. That of course led to some quick kissing on MJ and Harry’s part. At least she didn't got third wheeled, considering that both Peter and Ned were single too.

”Does anyone know what we’re going to do?” Ava asked anyone who was happy to answer her question.

Considering the mattresses everywhere on the floor, she doubted there was any running today. That made her slightly sad, she liked to run.

”Dunno, I think— Oh,” MJ began before she abruptly stopped talking when their new coach, Coach Wilson (Peterson only did freshmen) rolled in an old TV and turned it on.

Knowing Steve for a while, Ava remembered that he’d mentioned filming some kind of governmental videos for different schools. Although she remembered his old suit (which was a bit dorky) she found it rather hilarious to watch a fitness video with Steve Rogers. If he’d only been in New York… He’d have blushed so much. 

”… his shield,” was the only thing she accidentally managed to catch from Peter and Ned’s conversation, something that wouldn't have bothered Ava a couple months ago.

But since Steve had been away longer than Peter had known Tony, this confused her. Because what shield could Peter possibly talk about if not Steve’s, especially when they watched a video about Captain America?

”Thank you, Captain. Pretty sure this guy's a war criminal now— Well, whatever. I have to show you this video, it's required by the state, let’s do it!” Coach Wilson said and blew in his whistle.

She wouldn't exactly call him a war criminal, more like ”helped his brainwashed former HYDRA assassin best friend from being hunted because he had been framed by a vengeful man.” _Not_ , that she could possibly say all that in front of civilians, that would have been really messy. And awkward, it would have been really awkward.

”Don’t judge me now, Ava,” Sally began as both she, Betty Brant (a dear friend of Liz, just a friend of Ava) MJ and Ava were either doing push-ups or sit-ups.

Either way, it was a bit boring. Ava hated sit-ups and push-ups, they felt so overused by the school so much. Even when she had been in first or second grade push-ups and sit-ups had been ”the thing.”

”But I just gotta ask. Betty, fuck, marry, kill, a la superhero style.”

Just hearing that caused Ava to grin, a lot. She was of course used to all that sort of games. They were the Avengers after all, a lot of good looking people in that gang, she wouldn't deny that. Though if she would want to date one of them… nope. Wanda put coffee grounds in the disposal, Clint was married and had terrible humor. Steve was either very quiet or cursed worse than a sailor. Nat was… Nat. And she was quite sure that Thor often slept naked, she still remembered that from last year, that had let to some… embarrassing moments. Of course, Tony was her father. Who was now together with Pepper again, which she had found out yesterday, even though they had begun to date again somewhere in July. She was still a bit pissed that they hadn't told her.

”Uh-huh,” Better replied as she was the one doing the sit-ups for now, while Ava did the push-ups with MJ.

”Which ones?”

”Hulk, Thor, Iron Man,” Sally told and smirked slightly in Ava’s direction.

That of course did make Ava roll her eyes just a bit. She still remembered Sally’s beard fetish and her taking a liking for Tony’s beard. Sometimes Ava just had to pretend to not know anyone one from the Avengers, and certainly pretend to not be Tony Stark’s daughter. Like this situation.

”I think it would be… Fuck Thor, marry Iron Man, and kill Hulk,” Betty announced.

Once again, Ava began to chuckle slightly.

”What about Spider-Man?”

Her question rolled off her tongue a bit too quickly for Ava’s own liking, and she blamed herself for ever asking that. She was well aware of why she had asked that. For some annoying reason, she couldn't stop thinking about their kiss. And what the hell had he meant by the fact that she knew him? Did he mean that time he had taken her out for a swing, literally? Sometimes, Ava became frustrated with her own tongue.

”What do you mean?” MJ wondered curiously, making Ava shrug.

”I mean, uh… The Bugle and all that, or that video with the exploding car,” she began.

”He saved those kids and when Strike couldn't get them out of the car and all. He's pretty cool.”

”Someone sounds like they’re crushing on a certain Spider-Man," MJ joked and winked.

Despite all those fights against thieves and thugs and whatnot, talking about guys (even if they were your crime fighting buddy) made her blush just a teeny tiny bit. But didn't she like Peter? She was very certain that she liked Peter, he was funny, gentle, smart, good-looking… But she also had begun to harbor affections for Spidey, much to her horror. As Strike and Spider-Man, they were crime fighting friends. As Ava and Spider-Man, they had been kissing. She felt slightly bad for liking both, but the things that had made her fancy Peter had been the same that had caused her to like Spidey. Even some of the good looking part, both were shredded after all. That did sound very vain, although the abs were just a nice bonus to their personalities.

”No way!” Sally exclaimed and grinned at her, something that did cause Ava to redden even more.

”Well, yeah, I guess…” she mumbled before her voice faded away, only to be replaced by Betty’s.

”But isn't it sort of gross or weird?” Betty asked and giggled slightly, making Ava raise her eyebrow and turn her head in the middle of a rep.

”Come again?”

Betty rolled her eyes and switched places with Sally. During that time, Ava was careful not to think about her kiss with Spidey, nor the fact that she accidentally saw Peter’s shirt expose some of his stomach. Slapping herself mentally, she waited for Betty’s answer.

”He’s probably like thirty years old, and who knows if he has burns all over his body!” Betty stated, something that did make Ava roll her eyes a little.

He was neither thirty or having any burns, at least not on his body. Still remembering the kiss and the airplane trip, she could with confidence say that he was whole and hot. And she was quite sure that she remembered hearing Spidey talk about healing factor, which could explain why she rarely spotted fifteen year olds with severe burns running around in New York.

”He’s not _that_ old,” Ava protested and once again began to blush when she thought about him.

”I met him a couple months ago, he didn't seem to be thirty. Besides, even if he had terrible burns, he’d still be a wonderful guy who saves people—”

”Peter knows Spider-Man!” 

Literally everyone stopped with whatever station they were doing, and literally everyone stared at Ned and Peter stunned, while Harry watched Ned with widened eyes. Ava was truly relieved that no one had said the same thing about her and the Avengers, yet.

”Uh, well, not really know each like that, more like—” Peter stuttered horribly, before Flash slid down from a rope and looked like he was about to laugh any second. 

”They’re friends. Yeah like Coach Wilson and Captain America are friends,” he mocked and caused everyone to laugh.

”It’s true, actually,” Ava spoke up, loathing to see people mock Peter.

Especially when it was true, she would have felt really bad if she hadn't done anything to stop them from mocking him.

”He meets Spider-Man through my dad’s internship.”

”Yeah, and I'm not really supposed to talk about it,” Peter continued and glared at Ned, though not with the same darkness as he had a couple days ago.

He really should consider himself lucky, that darkness could really scare one to bits.

”Anyway uh… oh, there the bell rang,” Ava muttered and left the hall quickly.

Seemed like she wasn't the only one who couldn't keep quiet.

 

There were moments like this one where Ava were really annoyed at her dad. He was the one with fancy technology and tons of time to fix things. And still, Ava was the one who had to talk to her sometimes scary crush in order to get a sample of his jacket. Like he wouldn't notice if there was a small piece torn away. Luckily (or not so luckily) Peter was the one to approach her after school.

”Hey, um… Ava,” Peter began slowly, looking just like before, before all that shit with the wrecked date.

”I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for Wednesday.”

Ava’s heart began to flutter slightly, as if they were doing more than just talking in school. But along with that feeling, came the dread. Not only from what had happened with him, but also with her. She had literally used her powers on him, open for everyone to see. Hopefully, no one, not even Peter had noticed her little… outburst.

”Peter, really, I shouldn't have chickened out like that. I was behaving like a little child, I—” Ava began before Peter interrupted. 

”No, you don't need to apologize, I must have scared you so much,” Peter mumbled and raked his hand through his hair while bearing that frustrated expression on his face, as if there was something more he wanted to get out but couldn’t.

”And I hate that I frightened you, or even took a hold of your wrist like that. The thing is just… I've been feeling so weird, and I don’t understand why. But that isn't an excuse for what I did, I was still acting like crap towards you. I want to make up it for you, even if it’s nothing compared to how I acted. Like if you want some coffee or anything like that? I know a pretty good place in a mall nearby. ”

These were one of the reason why Ava had begun to like Peter, how sweet he was, how genuine he was about what he said. How could she not have realized her feelings before? What a thickhead she actually could be sometimes.

”If you want of course, I can understand if you don't want to,” Peter rambled on while his face and ears seemed to redden slightly.

Ava’s first instinct was to kiss him, which she didn’t. She didn't risk that her new rush of energy would accidentally activate her other energy and fry Peter. Nor did she want to squeal and hug him like a little girl. Especially if some damn person would take a picture and send to a magazine. She couldn't stand those people.

”Yeah, sounds great,” she instead replied and smiled at him.

”Let me just get my bag and all that. It will just take a few seconds.”

Peter nodded quickly while Ava quickly went to her locker to grab her things and shove it into her bag. While digging around in her bag to make some space, she also dug up her small scissor for the leather jacket. Which she had forgotten during the school day, how could she? Stifling a small sigh, she stuffed the scissor into her jacket and pulled out her bag from the locker. 

 

”So… what do you think?” Peter wondered as Ava took her first sip of the tea she’d chosen.

And it was good, really good. A fresh taste with some hints of citrus behind it all. Peter was right, the place had really good stuff.

”The tea is great,” Ava told him honestly while taking a bite out of her blueberry muffin.

She adored blueberry muffins, she was just really fond of the sweet fluffiness of the muffin along with the slight tang of sourness from the berries. It was just… marvelous.

”Didn’t know you liked coffee, though.”

Peter grinned slightly before he took a hold of his mug and took a small sip of it. For some odd reason it made him look slightly more older and more mature. She had to be completely honest, it did make him sexier than she had hoped. 

”Began to drink it after your dad offered me the Stark internship, late nights and all that,” Peter admitted and dipped his churro in chocolate before he bit into it.

”Can only drink it with sugar though, it’s undrinkable without it or with milk.”

Better than her father’s ideal coffee at least, pure black coffee without anything at all, Ava thought and shuddered in her head.

”But how’s it going with the internship and all that? You know, since we won’t use the tower,” Ava said and tilted her head slightly to the side.

”Ah, you know, the Facility actually,” Peter explained, just before his face lit up like a candle,

”It is so cool there! And you live there! That has to be awesome, since you live at the Avengers’ place and all that!”

Ava smirked slightly and took another sip before she set down to mug again. She loved this Peter, the dorky and excited one with the excitement like a child seeing snow. The Peter with nice abs and sexy hair was nice, but it was the dorky Peter she really loved.

”Yeah, it is pretty nice, especially when it comes to barbecuing with energy beams,” Ava said and chuckled, right before she noticed her small slip in her sentence.

Once again, she wondered how she had managed to hide her secret from the whole world for over a year. 

”Wow, Vision does that? That’s— That is really awesome, dude,” Peter stated and shook his head, as if he was trying to form that scenario in his head.

Though, Ava had once tried to persuade Vision to do it, but it ended with him saying no and her secretly doing that while her father commented and rolled his eyes. She still remembered him smirking slightly, that bastard. But for the moment, she was just relieved that his mind had gone to Vision. If he had begun to question which Avenger who barbecued things, Ava would have probably begun to stress and say something stupid, as always.

”The best part is that the food doesn't become overcooked and burnt,” Ava told and chuckled slightly.

”But if you like it with a smoky taste, a normal barbecue would be the best— What the fuck?”

That would probably not be the first reaction from a civilian when everyone screamed about a huge robbery, but Ava was Ava after all. And that wasn't just a trait she had gotten after her Terrigenesis, that was just something that blurted out of her, not matter the situation.

”We have to get out of here.”

”You think?” Peter asked sarcastically before both of the bolted out from the cafeteria, just as they both heard a gunshot.

Hopefully that shot hadn't been through a person. 

Ava’s gut flipped upside down before she turned to check on Peter, only to realize that she had lost him in the crowd of screaming people. In one way, Ava felt terrified over that, who knew what could happen to him? On the other hand, she could now change into her suit to save the civilians. And if she was lucky, Peter maybe would have been able to escape. Hopefully, no one would ever noticed Ava run back to the cafeteria to get her bag. Thereafter she jumped over behind the counter to change, before emerging quietly as she ran out again to meet the mayhem.

For being a robbery, it seemed to have been very badly planned (there were always many people on Fridays, especially teenagers) but to her dismay they seemed to be both many and well-armed. No wonder the panic raging around her.

”Hey!” Ava exclaimed to get one of the bad guys’ attention, instead of it being on the crying civilian.

The second they turned, Ava shot a blast of energy right into their face, careful not to put in too much. It wouldn't kill them, just knock them out for an hour or two. 

As she continued to attack the robbers and protect the civilians, she began to notice that something wasn't like she thought it was. They were not trying to steal anything, and they seemed to rally up and force down civilians down on their knees while they pointed guns at them. As she shot down another robber, she noticed a strange tattoo on the man’s neck. An ink black one, with rings overlapping each other with something else in the middle.

This wasn't a robbery, Ava realized as her hands began to shake tremendously.

This was a terror attack by the Ten Rings.


	20. Idiot

Wasn't it enough with her father already being their former hostage? Or that strange thing that had happened around three years ago, the one with the Extremis and exploding people. Did they really have to show up here and now? Of all the places they had to choose here! Another question that bothered her was how they still were around. Mandarin was fake, that guy had been an actor. Perhaps the terror organization existed without their mythicalleader.

”Glow Stick!” 

His voice caused her to sigh relieved and turn to watch Spidey kick a terrorist in the face while swinging towards her. 

”I’m so damn glad you're here!” Ava exclaimed and created a shield around a little boy who almost got hit by someone, maybe a civilian even.

People in panic could be frightening, even more so than bad guys.

”We should really contact the Avengers, there’s no way we can do this alone!”

”Are you crazy? This is nothing compared to Gargan!” Spidey yelled, causing her to immediately get pissed at him.

First calling himself an Avenger (like fighting in Germany made him one)and then not wanting to help when people’s lives were in danger? Was his ego truly bigger and more important than people’s safety for him? What the hell had happened to him? He’d become strange ever since he’d gotten that strange suit…

”This is a terror attack, not a fucking robbery!” Ava snapped at him before she took a deep breath to calm herself and not strangle him and his arrogance.

”Look… just keep them from the civilians. I'm gonna make a small call.”

Judging by Spidey’s posture (and the fact that his lenses narrowed) Ava was very certain on that he was annoyed or pissed. But for the moment, she couldn't care any less. Not when people were in danger.

Ava took off in the air before dialing her father’s number while still trying to protect the civilians as best as she could. It didn't even take a second before she managed to get a hold of him, thank goodness. 

”Dad—”

”I’m on my way right now,” was the only answer she got from him, but she wasn't that surprised really.

After all, if he could build an Iron Man suit in a cave, synthesizing ”new” elements and stand Ava during her ”I’m mad because a fictional character died” periods, he could find out about a terror attack in New York City. And that was an absolutely amazing thing.

”Spidey! He's on his way, we just have to get the civilians out of here!” Ava told over the screams and sometimes even gunshots.

Thankfully, none of them had seen a dead body lying around… yet. And Ava hoped dearly that she wouldn't have to see one for that part either. It was enough with a bad guy on her conscience, she wasn't sure she would be able to handle civilians’ blood on her hands too.

”Yeah… so just like an hour or two,” Spidey muttered and shot a web bomb right into a goon’s face.

”You don't have to be pissed about it,” Ava replied and scowled, why was he so damn annoying?

It was like all his annoyance and frustration over all his years of living had been concentrated into his new suit and nagged in his head like a little demon. If someone’s clothes would be tested, it should be Spidey and not Peter.

”Try to get the civilians to the eastern exit, I’ll keep it clear.”

Spidey nodded absentmindedly and immediately began to do the task she had told him to do, while Ava shot up in the air to fix the doors. The entire entrance/exit was packed with terrorists with three civilians down on the knees. If Ava squinted her eyes, she could definitely see both handguns and grenades on the terrorists’ persons. Grenades and malls were never compatible.

Ava created two daggers in her hands and immediately threw them towards the danger. Much to her luck (since she didn't concentrate much of controlling it in the air) the daggers hit their targets in the arms, causing them to look at her instead of the civilians. Which was exactly what she had planned to happen. With their eyes on her, she hastily created a forcefield shaped as a wall behind the captives and managed to draw them into a wall before enveloping them in a bubble of energy. Since the civilians where out of harm and Ava was pissed over two things. The first one, the Ten Rings ruining her ”date” with Peter, and two; Spidey being pissed and arrogant. Couldn't her Friday be smooth for once? Last Friday had ended with her getting stabbed by a soon-to-be crazy scorpion. 

”You really are a pain in the ass to Starks,” Ava muttered lowly to herself before once again causing her hands to burn with her energy, before deciding differently and made them to form into a dagger instead.

No burning anyone for the next month would be nice, after all. Her daggers were more contained and controlled than her fire. With that being said, she lunged herself at them and quickly shielded herself from their bullets with a shield on her arm. It was after all less energy wasted than on a huge force field around her, especially with the civilians in that bubble a few meters from her. 

Ava managed to knock one of them out by plunging the dagger right into the stomach (making sure it just ignited the pain sensors in his nervous system and not physically) and simply rammed the shield right into the other guy. Just like in a comic book, the guy basically flew right into the wall and hit it rather badly. Although when Ava quickly checked that he was alive, she couldn't see any blood or signs of terrible danger. With that being done, she waved away the force field around the civilians and basically tore away the revolving doors for easier access to the exit.

”Go! And call the ambulance and police!” Ava yelled at them while disarming the terrorists before flying to the next exit to securing that one.

Fortunately for her, there was just one bad guy there, who was easy for Ava to knock out and clear the exit for people to escape through. Those two were the only ”safe” exits she could think of, the others were a bit more risky since they led to either subway or were simply too far away for people to reach true safety. Since she got that figured out, Ava ran back to Spidey, who was helping some kids who seemed to have frozen completely in all this mayhem around them.

”There are just so damn many,” Ava exclaimed horrified and ran over to pick up a small crying child who was screaming for her dad.

”I really hope Stark’s here soon, his help could really help right now…”

Spidey let out a forced chuckle and kicked one terrorist right in the face after disarming them hastily.

”Yeah, I think so too,” he replied and watched Ava quickly hand the child to her worried sick father just before shooting another bad guy right in the face with a small energy bolt.

”I think some of them are in the stores, I could go and fix those and you can take the open places, with you flying and all that.”

Ava nodded shortly and was about to take off in the air again, just as she heard the familiar sound of her father shooting something. Letting her maniacal grin spread over her face (she wore a mask, anyway) Ava flew to find her father an elderly man.

”Thank god you’re here, Stark!” she exclaimed before she spun like a drill and managed to knock out the same terrorists that her dad had defended the man from.

She was almost always careful with not using words like ”dad” or anything in the likes of that, in case anyone would hear her. That was rather important for her.

”What have you gotten from the situation, Lava lamp?” Tony questioned just as Ava shielded both them and the civilians from a bomb by creating a forcefield around it.

”Well, so far I've found a couple of guys with the Ten Rings tattoos, so I'm very certain on the Ten Rings are here screwing around,” Ava began slowly.

”Then I guess that there are around thirty people or more in here, so… I'm really glad you're here right now.”

”I’m flattered,” Tony replied and glanced around them.

”Well, I guess that you've called the cops and everyone, so that’s great. But they're all waking up after being knocked by you and Spider-Boy so that’s a slight problem we’ll have to deal with.”

”Spidey!” Ava said and earned a confused look by her dad.

Although that happened rather often, even the other way around actually. It was usually something about trying to make her run in a wheel to see if her energy affected the physical condition (even if it did make slightly sense, it had made her feel like a hamster) or strange theories about their something-cousin and the books that could be hysterically strange.

”He has the webs, he hasn't actually tied anyone up yet. If we just managed to get a hold of him to drop his act and actually catch baddies and not play superhero, that would be nice.”

”He’s still with the ’I’m an Avenger now’? Oh dear, I had wished he could have stopped with that after the first day,” Tony muttered and sighed. 

”Well, you know him best, so… Go get ’em, tiger.”

Glaring at her father slightly annoyed (she had hoped that he'd talk to him and not dump it on her) Ava began her path on finding Spidey and persuade to not be a child. Much to her frustration, he was fast and often left the stores as quickly as he had entered them, which lead to a slight cat and mouse fight with some shooting.

”For goodness’ sake,” Ava mumbled and punched someone right in the face with a glowing fist.

For a quick second, she wondered if it would feel like an iron fist to them.

”Spider-Man, where are you!”

As soon as she had uttered those words, Spidey came running out of a store with a thread of spider web in his hand, and a masked terrorist being dragged behind like a restrained animal.

”Right. Lovely,” Ava muttered and glared at the spider web like it was a disgusting spider.

She did not regret her choice of words.

”What?” Spidey questioned right before Ava tossed another dagger at someone and missed terribly.

”I literally chased you for minutes to tell you to mature and use webs!” she exclaimed and let out a frustrated sound that did sound oddly familiar to a cow. 

”Well, that wasn't necessary,” Spidey retorted and snorted as she rose up in the air to get a better view of the situation around them.  
It was also a very good way to avoid him for a while venting her annoyance over things that began to feel very unnecessary and childish. How come she became the childish one? Even though the Ten Rings attacked and her father was here, the main thing going on in her mind was on something entirely else. Peter being sick when Ava was pretending to be sick for Steve’s sake. Spidey acting like a douche since that black goo. Spider-Man freaking kissing her as Ava without any context or reason. That horrifying darkness in his eyes when he got angry. Peter acting strange and aggressive since his new leather jacket… It all made sense now. How could she had been so idiotic all these months?

”Uh, you wanna come down? Or are you gonna—”

But Ava stopped hearing anything after that. The only thing she could think about was a burning sensation spread in her body like wildfire, almost as if she got kissed by a white hot iron rod. A scream tore itself out of her throat as she fell down on the ground, only to spot the gooey red hole in her chest that spewed out blood like a volcano. 

”Oh god… NO!” she could hear someone scream as everything just seemed to stop.

The only thing she truly could think about was how rattling her intakes of breaths were, as if she tried to breathe in water. Or how she fell down on the floor coughing blood. Why hadn't she been more careful with using shields in a fucking terror attack? 

”Please, Ava… Don't do this to me…” a voice whispered in the ever darkening void before Ava simply let go of everything.


	21. Home

There had once been a time Ava once hadn't understood her father’s cries of pain in his sleep or why she sometimes could find him wandering around at home without a single second of rest. Maybe it had been because she had been a small child, or maybe out of his silence. Surely, that quickly changed after New York. Ava had of course been eleven during that incident. But she couldn't stop hearing her father waking up in the middle of the night while gasping terrified, as if he’d been drowning. 

She hated the times JARVIS had woken her up. That hadn't happened very often, but it had happened when Pepper was away. Then she had often found him in the middle of a panic attack. Or drinking like a starving dog ate. Either way, she often had become frightened by his behavior. Not that she had feared for her own safety. It was more the fact that she had so used to see her father safe and strong. He had been her rock. And he still was. 

But all those nights when she had poured out the alcohol in the sink, she had begun to realize how scarily human everyone was, even Iron Man. 

Even the most twisted and evil people had once had a shred of humanity. Even Mac, the crazy science experiment who had wanted to kill her. He had been human. Until she had killed him. Sent out a wave of energy to burn his body into a burning piece of meat. 

In her mind, Ava could repeatedly see the energy lick his body like flames. But she could also see his face, the parts that hadn't been burned. And despite all that animalistic rage in him, death had made him look painfully human. 

She hadn't killed an evil Chitauri. Ava certainly hadn't destroyed an Ultron bot. She had killed a human being. A person with a family or someone who had loved him. And Ava had burned all that away. 

That was the part that haunted her, causing her to wake up, drenched in her own sweat. For a second, she only saw blue flames. Then they were gone. Then Ava felt it. She tried to draw in a breath, but her lungs were useless. They didn't feel squeezed or compressed. Her lungs were just lumps of meat that didn't do their job. And in one way, Ava couldn't see anything. But yet, she saw her entire room in front of her. Hell, she could even see her father rush in like a madman. 

But it felt like her mind wasn't focused on what the eyes saw. Because the only thing her mind was on was that event. His face, his damn suit, everything. She had killed a person, and she still went to high school like nothing had happened. 

What could she possibly do or say to make things right? Ava hated people who did terrible things to people and still went to school like they hadn't just destroyed a person’s life and psyche. And yet, she basically was like one of those people now. Ava hated herself for that. 

”Ava?”

The familiar voice echoed in her head, as if it was spoken meters away from her. Ava knew whose voice that was, it was her father’s of course. She could see him through her strange mind mist, sitting a few feet away from her. Not too close to make her feel trapped, but he was there for her.

”Can you hear me, kiddo?” Tony asked her calmly and waited a couple seconds before he carefully took a gentle hold of her hand.

”I know you've been through rough things these weeks. Hell, I know you've been through rough years, I guess I'm to blame for that. But I know what you're going through, and it’s something no one should go through. Even less a kid. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, okay? I’ll stay here until you don't need me to. You are not alone, Aveline.”

It took a while until she could feel her lungs breathe in oxygen. That was when she managed to grab Tony’s hand before she closed her eyes and tried to breathe slower for every breath she took. Eventually Ava managed to take control of herself again, something that wasn't too easy with her energy surging through her. When the fog cleared around her and she sat up, her gut flipped upside down when she saw it. Scorch marks on her sheets where her hand had been. And not only on her sheet, but on her father’s hand. Seeing the blisters and all that raw flesh made her almost sick.

”Hey, it’s okay,” Tony soothed and stroked her head with his other hand soothingly.

”I’ll ask Helen to fix it, no biggie.”

Ava nodded slowly before a jolt of pain ran through her body, causing her to curse and lie down in her bed again. She hated being shot. Although this was the first time she had full on passed out. Ava guessed that the bullet must have hit something important or something full of blood.

”Yeah, you’re gonna be a bit sore a while,” her dad explained and handed her a glass with dark green juice which Ava downed in seconds.

”Helen had to almost regrow an entirely new lung for you, it was basically ground beef at the point she cut you up. And you lost a lot of blood. Hell, if it wasn't for Underoos using web to stitch your wound together temporarily until I arrived and used some… tricks to keep it together more tightly—”

”I’d be dead I guess,” Ava finished and while lifting up her shirt to see her chest.

Much to her surprise, there wasn't even a scar. Maybe some bruises (probably from fragile and newly made blood vessels being popped during her panic attack) but no true evidence of her injury. Although could Helen create a synthetic body with just her Cradle and some vibranium, healing a shit lung wouldn't be a problem.

”Pity I can’t brag with a scar and a cool story behind it,” Ava mumbled and chuckled just as another person appeared by her door.

How Tony had managed to get some clothes for Peter after the terror attack was unknown to her. Or maybe that black goo could turn into other clothes that weren't black. But considering the fact that he wore one of his geeky science t-shirts (the pizza shirt) Ava deduced that he must have had some spare clothes in his backpack.

”So… you told him about me, dad?” Ava questioned, making Peter chuckle slightly before sitting down on the end of her bed.

”Well, I decided that I could tell your dad that I knew about you since you were dying so…” Peter began and raked his hand through his hair.

”And I had to um… give you some CPR after webbing together your wound. Mask off and all that. But I made sure no one saw your face, so no worries about that if you worried about that—”

”Hold on, you knew my identity _before_ today?” Ava questioned as her eyes widened to the point where her lids began to strain and hurt slightly.

She had hidden her mask pretty well when she had crashed at his place, and Ava certainly had been careful with not showing face or voice on that plane. Now when she began to think about it more, Ava had been more careful with her identity than Peter had been. He’d neither used another voice and had dropped more hints about himself than she had. Hell, she had even begun to question his abs a couple of times. _Not_ that she had looked at him during the times he had been shirtless, just a mere observation. At least she hadn't stared at them for minutes.

”I’m just going to go to Helen to fix that little burn,” Tony said to break the second long silence that seemed to have stretched out to an eternity.

He immediately then rose up from the bed. But before Tony left, he kissed Ava on her forehead and whispered:

”Kid likes you, try not to judge him too hard.”

What that was supposed to mean, Ava had no idea. Although she guessed it had something to do with Peter’s explanation. She just had to wait and listen.

”Well, you know when you passed out in Germany and your mask was a bit off?” Peter began slowly before Ava nodded slightly.

”I told you that I could see bits of your face but not enough to be recognized. At least, um, someone else wouldn't have recognized you. But I could recognize you because of your…”

”My what?” Ava questioned and raised her eyebrow up to her hairline.

Considering the fact that his ears and face reddened, this was the thing Tony had asked her to not judge too harshly on. According to Ava herself, that was something she would have to decide after she had heard whatever thing he’d say.

”Your zit, you had one on your… cheek during that time,” Peter explained with his face just got more red by the second.

”And I noticed it because I like you and I like to look at you. So, yeah, there you have it.”

Okay, Ava wouldn't judge him _so_ much. Just a little bit, considering the fact that he figured out her identity by her pimple. It had been one thing with her little mole or the little scar on her lip (she had chewed on Tony’s scrap metals in his workshop when she had been a baby, Pepper had been to the bathroom) but her zit? Peter must have been awfully observant.

”Well, no offense, but it is a bit weird,” Ava began slowly as she once again tried to sit up in her bed again.

”But it’s kinda cute that you remembered the zit so much that you recognized me. So yeah, and well… I guess that I will have to say that I'm neutral-ish on that point.”

Much to Ava’s dismay, a long silence followed after her statement, causing her eyes to flicker around in her room with no real motivation. That is, until they landed on Peter’s t-shirt, making her scrunch her eyebrows together while her mind began to sluggishly work. If Peter was wearing that t-shirt, and he didn't wear his leather jacket (which she also assumed was his black suit) where would that black goo be? Was it his jeans? Or well… Boxers?

”Where’s that goo of yours?” Ava questioned and tilted her head slightly, as if it would pop up in a certain angle.

Peter raised his eyebrows confused, until they sank down in realization.

”Well, uh, it’s basically my whole outfit, excluding my underwear,” Peter began slowly.

”And I talked with Mr. Stark about running some tests about it and how to get rid of it.”

Ava widened her eyes slightly, had Peter offered to try to get rid of it? But why? He loved the suits and all of its perks and joy. She had remembered that clearly when she had seen him in it for the first time. Right before he had… kissed her. Guess that she would have to bring it up a bit later, after the ’we know each other’s identities now and now what?’ phase.

”Why? It’s stealthy as hell and you said it yourself, it’s a killer suit,” Ava said while secretly being relieved over it.

That suit/leather jacket had scared her because of what it had made Peter do. Sure, he hadn't killed anyone because of its ’corruption’ but it had made him not Peter.

”Honestly? I’m terrified of it,” Peter began and laughed nervously.

”At first, that thing was great. It made me feel awesome and unstoppable. And then came these feelings. I don't know how to describe it, almost like it made me feel on edge while filling me with this… euphoria. And every time I got pissed or simply didn't get what I wanted, I would become stone cold, as if something leeched out the warmth of my body. In those moments, the only thing that mattered to me was to get what I wanted. And when I got it, the warmth would return and I would become myself again. The only exception of that has been you.”

Her? The idiot who couldn't stop blurting out about her jealousy over Liz (when she had believed that Peter had liked Liz, of course) or simply couldn't reveal a crush without it becoming dramatic. What thing had she done to actually be the only exception to his strange darkness?

”Was it when I accidentally zapped you and you became yourself again?” she questioned.

”Yup, both that and the suit scared the crap out of me that day,” Peter admitted and smiled slightly.

”How could I do anything against that? I mean,” Ava said and gestured to his body,”you are a lot stronger than me. Not only physically, but mentally and in powers.”

”Dude, you can turn pure energy into something fire-like and electricity, create psychic daggers and blasts, fly, super fly, forcefields and freaking explosions. I’m pretty sure that you're more powerful than me,” Peter said and waved with his hands while gesturing to her hands.

”Maybe more powerful in that way, but I have sometimes zero control over it,” Ava told and sighed.

”You know what happened to Gargan, I lost control. Basically the first thing I did after I went through my Terrigenesis was to blast a huge hole in the kitchen floor. My m— Dad and I ran some tests and we found out that my powers are connected to my emotions. I'm basically a bomb that can go off the second I’m in a tight corner. How can you control _that_?”

”You can,” Peter stated and caused Ava to look at him stunned while having that horrible scenario playing over and over again in her mind.

She hadn't controlled her emotions, she had let her fear consume her and let her powers loose around her.

”Peter, I have _killed_ someone because I could not control this,” Ava exclaimed as she felt her energy rise up to her eyes, covering every inch of her irises and sclera.

Just like every time she became Strike, except the fact that her energy now had rushed there the second she had felt strong emotions. Just like every goddamned time she had lost control.

”But you didn't kill me,” Peter told, making Ava widen her eyes and try to figure out when she had tried to kill him.

”What?”

”During that day, with Gargan,” he began.

”You could have exploded and blasted away that energy wave the second you felt it coming, but you didn’t. You held it back long enough for me to escape, and it took a good couple of seconds before I could see the blast happen. Ava, you held it inside you long enough to save me from the same fate. Gargan might be dead, but I'm alive.”

Ava nodded slowly, the thought of hurting Peter scared her to bits. What if she hadn't managed to keep it inside her? It was enough with Gargan being on her conscience, but Peter? She wasn't sure she would have ever been able to forgive herself for that one, not ever.

”Well, I’m glad for that too,” Ava replied and smiled weakly before she cast an eye at the remote on the nightstand.

Deeming it too far for her to reach (the entire two feet) she created a small platform by the edge of the nightstand right before she shot a small blast to fly over the remote and push it from the nightstand onto the platform. After that, it was pretty easy to simply cause the platform the hover close enough for her to simply grab it. While she had done that little feat, Peter watched her with an expression that she could only find judging.

”You barely needed to stretch to reach it,” Peter whined while a smirk tugged at his lips, making Ava roll her eyes while being close to a giggle.

”I got my lung shot and regrown, don't judge me,” Ava retorted and snorted amused.

”Or else I’ll have to watch Brooklyn 99 all by myself.”

 

”Yeah, come in,” Ava called as Peter snoozed beside her, limbs spread out like a starfish.

She had expected someone to come and tell them to get off their asses to scan Peter’s suit (they couldn't watch B99 all night, after all) but she did appreciate that she and Peter had gotten some time just being two nerdy teenagers. Although she hadn't expected Pepper to be the one to show up. A small pit formed in her stomach as she sat down beside Ava, careful to not accidentally sit on Peter’s foot or hand. 

”I guess you have some questions,” Pepper began slowly.

”Well, not really,” Ava replied as that pit in her stomach just got heavier.

What the hell should she say? Pepper had basically filled that mom hole in Ava’s life. Hell, Ava had called Pepper mom a couple of times as a child until it simply became weird with Tony and Pepper’s chemistry building. Then Pepper had left in four months because of everything that had happened the last years. And Ava couldn't blame her for that, who could? Ten rings, crazy business men, aliens, Ten Rings again, Ultron, Terrigenesis. Any decent person would have left after Ten rings part one. But still… That selfish part in Ava protested and wanted to be angry at Pepper for leaving Ava and Tony. Ava felt bad for even having those selfish thoughts and feelings running inside her. Pepper had done what had felt best for her and in situations like this one, you had to put yourself above others. You couldn't simply do something that made you unhappy or depressed for someone else. That wouldn't be healthy, for anyone. But Ava was grateful that Pepper was back in their lives and had chosen to do so.

”I understand why you left, and yet I'm angry, or I try to be, but I can’t,” Ava told as she looked up at Pepper and felt like a little seven year old girl again.

The number of days Ava had lied in her bed and asked Pepper when her dad would come home while Pepper had hidden her emotions badly while saying that he was okay.

”Ava, leaving you and Tony was one of the hardest choices I've ever done,” Pepper began softly.

”But I wasn't made for the world you and your father was born into, even less the world both of you have been thrown into. I was selfish for leaving, knowing it would crush both your father and you—”

”Pepper, please stop,” Ava whispered,”it wouldn't have been fair to you, to not make it.”

”It wasn't my choice or dad’s choice to make, it’s yours, as it should be. Yet, it hurt a lot, knowing that you wouldn't be a part of my life anymore. It’s just… my biological mother is basically stranger to me. But really, it didn't matter to me, not when you were here my entire life, ever since she dropped me off here. This will sound selfish, but I just wish that you’d been here recently. There has been some times I really would have needed you to be here for me. And I know it all sounds like guilt-tripping, and maybe it is but… I’ve missed you so much, Pepper. And I need you. I need my strawberry blonde mom who makes sure neither dad or I die on some stupid Avenger or Strike thing. I just hope that you really want to deal with that again.”

Ava smiled sadly at teary eyed Pepper while her own eyes were sparkling with both tears and, unfortunately energy. That is, until she managed to push down one of them, and it wasn't the tears that were easy enough. 

”Yeah, sounds good,” Pepper said and laughed almost mid sob before wrapping her arms around Ava.

She closed her eyes and simply let her tears run down her cheeks while inhaling the all-too-familiar scent of Pepper, just as Tony knocked on the door lightly before he stepped inside.

”Hey, just wanted to say that I have prepared everything for the goo tests and all,” he began just before his eyes fell on the sleeping Parker, and then on the hugging pair.

”I guess Parker is sort of ruining the mood right now, considering that he's lying everywhere. I mean, how does he even sleep so messily—”

”My lung was shot into ground beef and regrown, just come here for a hug,” Ava interrupted and caused both her and Pepper to laugh.

”Only because your lung was ground beef, kiddo” Tony stated and rolled his eyes while a small smile tugged at his lips.

Without waking Peter up (he was a heavy sleeper) Tony sat down in the bed and joined their little circle. And it just felt so surreal yet so natural. Feeling Tony’s hand on her hair while he and Pepper were whispering (”bickering”) to each other with soft voices. It simply felt like home.


	22. Symbiote

”How long was I out?” Peter questioned after Ava had poked his face a couple of times (while avoiding the drool at the corner of his mouth) to wake him up.

She had pretended that she hadn't seen him wipe it away the second he had regained his consciousness. Peter had seen her knocked out a couple of times after all, Ava could bet on that she had drooled during at least one of those times. It would only be fair that she simply shut up if he drooled.

”Maybe half an hour, you missed the Halloween episode, though. Don't worry, just an old season,” Ava stated and shrugged while glancing at the Vision walking towards them through the small creak after the badly closed door.

”Dad has prepared basically everything, all we need is you now, and the goo, of course.”

”Yeah, right, I almost forgot—” Peter said, right before Vision walked through her door.

”Mr. Parker, Mr. Stark would like you and Miss Stark to come to the lab as soon as impossible,” Vision began before he hovered away to do whatever he would do for the day.

Ava cast a glance at Peter before she wriggled out of the bed, still almost entangled in Peter’s limbs and managed to hit the floor so badly, it could have been taken straight from a cartoon.

”Oh god, you okay?” Peter exclaimed and almost flew to her side, making Ava wave it away as she managed to get up on her feet almost effortlessly.

She would definitely thank Helen the second she would spot her, her work was as flawless it could be.

”Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry,” Ava stated and brushed away the hair from her face.

”Let’s go.”

As they made their way to the lab, Ava occasionally stopped just to check the other bedrooms. Since her dad was an Avenger (retired until next big hit) and she was, well, his daughter, they had their bedrooms close to the rest of the Avengers, including the ones who were still fugitives.

”Wow, so this one’s Black Widow’s?” Peter said in awe as Ava peeked in to check that it hadn't changed.

And it hadn’t, that it wasn't very surprising. Natasha Romanoff was a spy and had been it basically her entire life, not leaving much of personal belongings was probably Spy 101.

”Yeah, she wasn't much of a fan of decorating,” Ava mumbled as she for a brief second began to ponder over where she was in the moment.

Knowing Natasha (at least the Natasha she had seen) Ava could almost bet on that she was definitely not in America. Perhaps she was in Europe, or Australia. It would be fun to hear her speak in an Australian accent.

Both Wanda and Sam had some personal belongings, with Wanda’s guitar and picture of her now deceased family still being where it had been left. Ava missed Wanda, it had been nice to have someone who wasn't over 25. Especially considering the fact that they both were supernatural. And Sam having a picture of his old war comrade standing by his desk. He hadn't been around all the time in the Facility, sometimes he’d fly back to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington to speak and help veterans he’d gotten to know during his time after his service. Considering everything everyone had gone through, Ava could bet that all of the Avengers (excluding Vision, she believed) had or still did suffer from some form of PTSD. Whether it was from their time as Avengers or other things she couldn't know. But during the time the Avengers 1.0 had crashed at the Stark Tower in Manhattan and now here in the Facility with Avengers 2.0, there hadn't been a single one of them she had found pacing in the middle of the night while Ava had woken up from a nightmare. She had even seen Thor, the 1000 year old god looking stiff and wild eyed while clutching to the table. But even gods could suffer from their past, she guessed. Ava herself hadn't gotten PTSD, not in the same way the others had. Nightmares from past events, yes, but never anxiety attacks from triggers or simply nowhere. Even though it had gone worse since Gargan, she was truly grateful that she had both her dad and Rhodey. Although Ava had wished that she hadn't suffered by nightmares either, it would have been nice.

”Wow, is that Captain America’s room?” Peter breathed out as Ava stopped one last time to take a quick look in Steve’s bedroom.

Like Natasha, there wasn't much in his room that made it scream Steve. However, she could spot an old drawing and some notebooks. Thinking about Steve made her both sad and got a slight sick feeling in her stomach. Not many weeks ago, Tony had told her why he often flinched when hearing his name associated with Howard, her grandfather and his father. The fact that the Winter Soldier had done it (she refused to think that it had been Bucky, because there had always been two victims when the Winter Soldier killed a person) wasn't a huge surprise after what Steve had told about Project Insight and the Winter Solider himself. It was more the part where he hadn't told her father about his parents’ real death, for two years. 

Since she hadn't actually gotten the chance to know Maria and Howard, Ava couldn't truly mourn them like Tony did. But she had seen the way her father had acted whenever one of their names were brought up. And it was a lot of pain in there. And Tony had had every right to know, it was something about his parents’ death, for goodness sake! 

It did sting that someone as honest and kind as Steve would hide that secret for years despite knowing that telling it as soon as possible would be better. But still, he was still the Steve she had gotten to know during the years, which made her feel even more conflicted.

”Yeah, it is,” Ava quietly mumbled and quickly closed the door.

”We should go, I think dad’s pissing his pants in impatience right now.”

Peter nodded slightly while casting confused glances in Ava’s direction, but didn't comment on her sudden change in mood. 

”You know, before everything, I never thought that I would ever meet any of the Avengers, even less be in their house,” Peter told as Ava continued to lead the way to the lab.

”Why not?” Ava wondered.

”You’re terribly intelligent and would definitely work with dad or Bruce even if you hadn't become Spider-Man. I can bet my ass on that.”

While Peter looked both flattered and flustered over her comment, Ava raised her eyebrow as she could hear music blast in what she guessed was Tony’s personal lab. And it wouldn't have been strange, if it actually had been AC/DC, which it wasn’t.

”Since when did you listen to ’Umbrella’?” Ava questioned as they entered the lab, with Dum-E immediately rushing towards her with a fire extinguisher, much to her amusement.

”No, Dum-E, I'm not on fire for the moment, don’t.”

Tony smirked slightly while seemingly humming on the melody slightly, while Peter looked even more confused than more.

”Just trying something new,” he simply said before shaking his head and asked FRIDAY to turn the music off completely.

”Okay, Parker. I'm gonna scan your whole body so just be still now… FRIDAY?Could you do a complete holographic body scan?”

As the blue light spread over Peter until covering his body completely, Ava watched her father work while muttering commands to FRIDAY under his breath. The way Tony worked was both breathtakingly smooth and calculating in a way Ava couldn't yet manage. Not compared to him with decades of experience.

”Well, here we go,” her dad mumbled as all three of them read the data and information the hologram gave them.

Ava expected something to happen, which it did. According to the data, the clothes were completely made of fabric, and yet… It seemed to produce testosterone and consume different types of chemicals. The amount of phenethylamine and adrenaline in Peter’s system was crazy, and it was quickly absorbed by the clothes for some odd reason. No wonder he sometimes felt on edge with that much stuff in him.

”Well, this explained why you didn't want me to get you some new hormones, you got an endless supply right here,” Tony mumbled while he raised his eyebrows confused.

”This should be impossible,” Ava muttered as she moved over to her father and began to twist and turn the hologram in any way possible.

”I mean, no way in hell that goo could become cotton that eats and produces chemicals.”

”Well, kid, you've got some weird clothes,” Tony muttered while Peter himself looked confused.

”Maybe you have to separate it from itself, you know, cut it off to make it goo again,” he suggested, causing Tony and Ava to make brief eye contact before she went over to Peter with her hand beginning to glow.

Getting a scissor would take too much time, and Ava was simply a bit too lazy to get the scissor to lay in her bag, if it even was at home and still not in the mall. Although she guessed that her dad was quite thorough with making sure her identity was hidden.

”Here goes nothing,” Ava mumbled and took a hold of Peter’s shirt.

In her other hand, a small claw had formed as an extension of her index finger, sharp and hot to sever iron. Hopefully that would be enough to get what they needed. As soon as the energy claw touched the shirt, the white fabric blackened. Not like paper, but like it changed color, and element for that part too. From cotton, to something that seemed to be a mix of ink black oil and slime. Just like the first time she had seen it stuck on Peter’s normal suit. Not only that, but it moved in tendrils now, as if it tried to flee from the incoming threat. That is, until she cut it off and formed a globe around the small goo. She wouldn't risk dropping that thing on the floor, only for it to flee. To not fry it, she quickly lowered the temperature and dropped the ball in her hand.

”Catch,” Ava said and tossed it to Tony who ordered a new scan, which immediately gave them results.

Maybe Ava had been slightly prepared on what it would be, but somehow it was still as surprising as if it would have been without her suspicions.

”Great, more aliens,” Tony muttered, earning an offended look from his daughter, before she shrugged and mumbled about only being 0,2% alien.

”Correct me if I'm wrong, but does this thing feel a bit parasite-y?” Ava began slowly.

”Or maybe something between parasite and a symbiotic creature? Feeding of Peter but gives him something in return.”

”So what? We’re gonna call it a symbiote? You know, the words symbiotic and parasite mashed together?” Peter questioned, making Tony shrug slightly.

”Technically it’s a sort of symbiosis called mutualism in biology, but yeah, symbiote works too,” Tony said.

”Cloth-making, chemical eating and producing, web-making, which seems like power copying or stealing. What more, kid?”

For a short second, Peter seemed to be in some deep thoughts, before seemingly waking up, causing Ava to frown. It would have been nothing if not for his face expression. If he had been completely blank, she would have simply believed that he had been zoning out. But it had looked like he was talking to someone, excluding his mouth moving.

”Um, guys, the symbiote thing just talked in my head,” Peter began wearily, causing Ava and Tony raise their eyebrows stunned and watch him quietly as Peter continued with whatever conversation he had with it.

”It says that it wants to bond with me permanently and has… Controlled me in my sleep sometimes?”

”Dear, that’s not good,” Tony muttered with Ava nodding in agreement.

When an alien talked in your head about wanting to bond with you after having controlled your body in your sleep, you aught to say no to it. Especially if it freaked out Tony, and he was an Avenger.

”Can you, uh, tell it to leave your body because you want to have your own body for yourself?” Ava wondered carefully, with Peter giving her the deadpan look, which Ava took as a no.

”If it doesn't want to leave involuntarily, we’ll have to make it leave,” her father stated and began to look more deeply into the symbiote.

At least as much as you could look into an alien being that no one Earth had ever known about. At least Thor and the Aesir (and probably Vanir) aliens had been incorporated into their myths and legends.

”NO!” Peter exclaimed suddenly, his voice furious and cold, as if all the warmth in him had gone out of his body and being replaced of whatever darkness his eyes were now filled with.

”Oh damn,” Tony whispered while Ava felt the blood drain away from her face as she felt that darkness being directed towards her and Tony, which scared the shit out of her.

But it somehow felt familiar, it wasn't that sort of normal cold she sometimes could feel outside or when it snowed. This was something entirely else, something—

”No way,” Ava hissed under her breath while being trapped under Peter’s gaze which seemed to fall like a weight unto her while she felt the need to simply scream and run out, except that she was now paralyzed.

”Of all the people it could have bonded with, it had to fucking choose her…”

”What the hell are you talking about, Ava?” Tony demanded, just as the darkness disappeared from Peter’s eyes, causing his whites to show before he from all of sudden simply fell down on the floor unconsciously.

”Peter!” Ava exclaimed terrified and ran over to him before putting two fingers on his throat.  
A sigh of relief escaped her as she found a slow and steady heartbeat, but still… It scared her a lot. The symbiote had taken over Peter there for a minute, and that wasn't even what it had called a permanent bond. What if it had already begun with whatever bonding it wanted to do? 

”Dad, we have to get to the city, now,” Ava told, causing her father to look at her as if she was crazy.

”If getting some shawarma is your best idea for the moment, I hope that you can reconsider—” Tony began before Ava shot him a glare.

”Just trust me!” she said with a voice as hard as steel.

”We need to make a quick visit to an old acquaintance.”

 

It felt like just like the first time, except the fact that it was both colder and darker than before. But New York City continued to radiate that charm that simply was New York, there was simply no other way to describe. It could either be the best city in the world, or the worst.

”You gotta explain to me, Ava,” Tony began as they walked into an alley near the Tower, which wasn't their Tower anymore.

And that was a bit strange. But it certainly didn't occupy her thought for the moment. Not now, she couldn't afford it. 

Ava took a deep breath before readying herself for whatever would happen soon, thereafter she turned to meet her dad’s eyes. She had to break the secret, for Peter.

”You have always told me how you were too drunk to remember my mother’s name,” Ava began slowly, her fingers twitching slightly, but without energy this time.

”A couple of days after the Leipzig fight, when I was going home, I was chased by a gang of guys. And they cornered me in an alley to attack me when… she showed up and saved me.”

She paused a few second to watch the blood drain from Tony’s face, making her take her father’s shaking hands in her own.

”You know I can protect myself,” she said carefully,”I just wasn't sure if it was a good idea—”

”Of course it was!” Tony stated.

”Look, I get why you was so conflicted, the whole identity thing. But when you're cornered by human monsters, you do whatever you have to do.”

Ava nodded before she slowly released her father’s hands and took a deep breath. Thinking too much of that memory caused her flesh to creep.

”Her name is Selena Castello, and she is an Inhuman who can manipulate Dark Force, it’s just like umbra-and phobikinesis,” she continued.

”And she is right here,” a new voice said in the darkness.

Both Tony and Ava turned around to see the darkness in the corner of the alley where Selena Castella stood. 

”I assume you're not here for a family reunion.” 

While Tony widened his eyes at the sight of his old fling, Ava took a step forward and met her mother’s dark eyes.

”We need your help.”


	23. Weightless

Selena Castello waved the darkness away from the three of them, almost creating it to be a protective dome around them.

”You have really not aged a single day in fifteen years, Stark,” she commented and smirked slightly.

”Same goes to you,” Tony replied as Selena turned to Ava.

”Nice to know you didn't die in that terror attack,” she stated and caused Ava to widen her eyes slightly.

”You were there?”

”I was the one who shielded your friend Spider-Man and you from being seen while he kept you alive. Trust me, if I hadn’t, paparazzi would be all around you two right now. But I’m not here to brag really,” Selena said braggingly.

”Thanks, and like I said, we need your help,” Ava stated and looked around herself before throwing a glance at her birth mother, who simply nodded.

”You don't need to worry about exposing anything, I got it covered for you,” she only said.

Ava nodded slightly before unzipping her jacket and brought out the glowing orb of energy that contained the alien symbiote sample. Thankfully, that thing didn't procreate by splitting itself like a cell. In fact, it reminded her of a worm, since if cut off, the smaller part continued to move slightly until it eventually died. Much to her relief, that thing had begun to move a lot less than before. As soon as Selena set her eyes on the symbiote, her eyes widened slightly as her mouth partially opened.

”That’s… I haven't seen this thing in months,” she said stunned and watched the symbiote writher in its cell while dying slowly.

”What help do you need from me?”

”The symbiote radiates phobikinesis whenever angered, and we need to get rid of it from Spider-Man, or else it will control him completely,” Ava began slowly while heating the orb up and made it turn to ash.

”So since you can manipulate fear, I guessed that you could keep it in check, considering that it got it from you. And also, we’d like to know how you got rid of it.”

Selena chuckled as her eyes seemed lost in fond memories of her past, which Ava wasn't sure was good or bad. Anything could happen when Selena Castello was around.

”I had this fight with a fellow Inhuman,” her mother began,”because we had some different ideas about the world. It ended in quite a brawl. And she just had to have the ability to manipulate vibrations, so she sent a blast of sound waves right in my face. And I remember the thing scream in my mind before detaching itself from my body and leave me on my own. Luckily, I got away before that girl could blast my brain to bits.”

Ava wasn't too keen of knowing what Selena and the other Inhuman had argued over, so she didn't ask her. Also, Selena may be her mother, but she had her own life that Ava would not indulge herself into.

”Would you have anything against going with us to the Facility to keep the symbiote from doing anything?” Ava questioned.

”And please don't teleport us, we have the car nearby.”

Selena snorted amused while a small smile spread over her face, which Ava wasn't so sure was good or not. In a moment she could talk about wanting to have a drink and hook up with Ava’s dad, the next she could be killing a bunch of guys (though they had been terrible) in a fear cloud.

”Don’t worry, I’ll see you on the other side,” she simply stated and dissolved in darkness, much to Ava’s annoyance.

”No wonder you two hooked up, both of you are freaking drama queens,” she muttered and caused Tony to look at her mockingly horrified.

”How dare you call me a drama queen?” he said while Ava smirked at him.

”Have I not raised you, my child? I am _the_ drama queen.”

Ava laughed slightly, feeling the weight lifting slightly from her shoulders. They would save Peter from that alien goo, now they both had her mother and father, a powerful Inhuman and a genius billionaire. But, since he was a super famous superhero, people flocked around his car and began to take pictures with it, much to Ava’s amusement and slight annoyance. While Tony embraced the cameras, Ava walked awkwardly behind him. It wasn't like their attention was on her, not when _the_ Tony Stark, the genius billionaire also called Iron Man was walking with her. Some people would recognize her if she walked on the street alone, but it was like comparing silver to diamond. Of course everyone’s attention would be on the diamond.

”Dad, the goo,” Ava muttered and tugged on Tony’s jacket while answering questions about the terror attack (”The zero casualties actually goes to Spider-Man and Strike, I just arrived at the grand finale.”) 

While people continued to ask questions, Ava rolled her eyes and slipped down her hand in her father’s jacket pocket to fish up his car key. After that, she jumped into the car and activated FRIDAY by simply getting into the car. It wasn't that Tony didn't care about Peter. It was just that he sometimes could forget that he was a hero called Iron Man and no longer the billionaire playboy with all the time in the world. It was a PTSD coping or not, she couldn't know.

”FRIDAY, please honk at my father, we’re a bit in a hurry,” she told and sighed.

_”Ava, you know how your father is,”_ FRIDAY replied.

_”We will have to do more than that.”_  
From nowhere, AC/DC blasted loudly from the car’s stereo, causing everyone, including Ava, to jump five feet up in the air. Luckily, that was enough to make Tony get back to his senses and seemingly curse under his breath. Then he waved slightly to the cameras before he got into the car and started the engine.

”I’m sorry, it’s just—” he began as Ava shushed him as they began to drive past everyone around them.

”I know, it’s okay,” she only said and watched as New York City and its streets disappear in a blur.

”But how did it feel to meet Selena again? I bet it must have been a bit weird.”

”Eh, it sort of felt like meeting another person I’ve… been with,” Tony began, seemingly choosing his words carefully.

”On the other hand, every time I meet an ex, _something_ weird happens. You remember Christine Everhart, right?”

”Yeah, definitely,” Ava replied and shuddered,”she was so damn rude to Pepper that time. I may have not gotten what you two had been doing, but she was mean.”

Although she remembered Pepper replying with something about trash. She had definitively been sassy. Ava could bet on that.

”Anyway, when she popped up again, she got me the picture of Gulmera and then after that she showed up for my annunciation,” Tony began and swerved a hard right before continuing,”then that time with Hammer and Ivan Avanko. And remember Maya Hansen with the Extremis thing?”

”Yup, and let me guess,” Ava began and rolled her eyes before she looked at her father,”you slept with her too.”

”Yes, and you see! My exes always show up in weird ways,” Tony stated and shrugged.

”When Maya showed up, our house blowed up. And now, a new ex shows up, who happens to be Inhuman and controls a cool element, who also is your mom.”

It was a bit strange to think that dad had been a fuckboy. Tony was her _dad_ , after all. Most of the time, Ava felt squeamish when thinking about it. But with the last years and everything that had happened, it was a bit amusing. Because it was simply such a weird coincidence that his exes showed during strange times. Ava only knew about a few of his exes, but it was still hilariously weird. 

”Well, I must say, it truly is an ex-traordinary thing,” she said and chuckled, causing Tony and roll his eyes but smile.

And it was a good smile, one that made his eyes wrinkle. Ava constantly saw his other smiles on media or simply in public where his eye muscles didn't even twitch. She wasn't quite sure if people who didn't know Tony noticed those smiles. Ava loathed those kind of smiles, especially if he smiled to hide something. Like his pain. She may see her father as her rock, she wasn't blind.

”I guess you could say it is,” Tony stated before asking FRIDAY to blast AC/DC again, much to Ava’s amusement.

At least until he began to sing very off-key, especially during the very high notes. When they were back at the Facility, the first thing Ava could see was Selena standing in the living room. Unsurprisingly, both Vision and Rhodey watched her cautiously. As if she was a feral beast who needed to be taken care of. Considering she had gotten there with Dark Force, Ava couldn't blame them.

”Everyone, meet Selena Castello, my dear Inhuman mother,” Ava introduced before gesturing to the way to the lab while slowly making her way there.

”We don't have much more time for introductions, Peter’s still unconscious, right?”

”Not anymore, I'm afraid,” Vision informed in his soothing JARVIS voice.

”But he’s stabile and currently his normal self, if that was what you worried over.”

Ava nodded slightly as both she and Tony —along with Selena— hurried to the lab. Much like Vision had said, Peter was awake and seemingly normal. The second he noticed Selena, his eyes became plates.

”Ms Ava’s mom, hi, I'm Peter Parker,” he said and hurried over to shake a confused Selena’s hand.

”It’s a pleasure meeting you, even though I have no idea why you're here, but that’s cool too! I think it’s awesome to have met you, since you're Ava’s mom. Not—That we’re dating or anything, but it’s awesome. Everything’s awesome—”

”Peter, it’s okay,” Ava assured and smiled slightly, before that smile faded when his clothes caught her eye.

Black tendrils showed up from his t-shirt while they seemed to be attracted to her. Like metal to a magnet. Probably because it recognized her as a former host. But still, it caused Ava to feel an uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

”Selena’s here to try to neutralize the symbiote while dad and I will try to… do something. Just stand where you stood the last time and be still.”

Peter nodded slowly, his face slightly pale, which she couldn't judge him for. She would be scared to bits if she was a host to an alien. Especially to a body controlling alien who could attack anytime. 

Ava cast a look at Selena, who nodded, to Tony, who held out his palm encased in an Iron Man gauntlet towards Spidey. Ava poised herself for whatever outcome this would have, as her father shot out the first sonic wave. That immediately took effect when tentacles of symbiote formed while Peter groaned in discomfort. Until the darkness in his eyes appeared and his lips began to move.

”You can’t touch me,” the symbiote hissed and looked right into Tony’s eyes.

In a second, her father had paled so much he looked like he was dead, much to her dread. 

”Selena, come on, you have to do something!” Ava yelled at her mother horrified.

But her mother stood there with her eyes closed as if she had a massive headache. The Dark Force slithered around her like a snake, but it didn't do anything, much to Ava’s distress. Something was wrong, horrifyingly wrong.

”I can’t,” Selena said frustrated as the smoke dissipated around her.

”It’s immune to my powers.”

”What?” Ava exclaimed as Peter —no, the symbiote— neared her father and caused him to sweat, as if he was trapped in a nightmare.

She remembered what had almost happened to those guys in the alley. If not for Ava, they would have died of fright and heart failure. And she was sure that if the symbiote would touch Tony and fill him completely with fear, he’d die. Considering all the things that had happened, the symbiote had lots to choose from.

”NO!” Ava screamed and threw herself at it, using her energy to boost her jump and land right on the symbiote-controlled Peter.

Both of them landed harshly on the floor, Ava feeling her arm throb slightly but her mind was clear as glass. But since Peter was an enhanced with super strength, the symbiote took a hold of her and rolled over to press her down on the floor. Along with the harsh grip around her throat and the pitch black eyes, Ava went cold. 

Then suddenly, she felt her blood sizzle like electricity. She could feel it inside her, growing like a beast waiting to be unleashed. The scene was almost too familiar to another one that had happened. An event which had resulted in death because of her fear. And she knew that if she let loose, symbiote would die. But it would also kill Peter. It would surely make him burn the way Gargan had, leaving him burnt to a crisp. The mere picture of that made Ava even more afraid than whatever horror the symbiote could unleash upon her. She closed her eyes and began to focus her energy. First to make it simply stop growing. Then she managed to take a hold of it. Making it her weapon to use instead of it using her a vessel to create destruction.

”You can’t separate me from him,” the symbiote growled at her as it formed Peter’s clothes to become the suit without the mask.

Nasty claws instead of fingernails pierced her skin and caused her to wince slightly. Blood forced itself through Ava’s pricked skin while she began to shape the energy after her will.

”Like venom, I’m soon in his bloodstream. We will become one.”

Ava gasped at the burning pain that was caused by its claws, but she clenched her teeth together. Her energy felt strained, like a dam close to bursting. 

”How dramatic,” she hissed and grabbed its shoulder.

The second her hand touched the symbiote, she let it all loose. The blue energy rippled over its body like electricity, but this was something she could control. It wasn't enough to kill, but enough to make the symbiote lose control. And that was just what she needed.

”Dad! Now!” Ava yelled at her father, who quickly recovered and looked at her uncertainly.

”Just do it, I'm not sure how long I can hold it!”

Immediately, her ears rang by the sound emitting from her father’s gauntlet. It was hell to keep her attention on weakening the symbiote while also making sure the symbiote didn't crush her to bits. Every time Tony shot a wave of sound at them, it felt like her head was going to explode. Much to her luck, the symbiote didn't seem to be doing any better. Using Peter’s voice, it screamed like an animal being tortured. Tendrils of it began to surface again, but this time while also seemingly melting off from Peter’s body. It was almost disgusting to watch it leave Peter’s body, like a slug melting because of salt. Ava closed her eyes and willed the energy spread around her and Peter like a raging wildfire. Hopefully, that would be enough to burn that shit to ashes. 

”Kid, it’s gone now.”

Ava nodded slightly (even though Tony couldn't see it, since she was surrounded by raging energy) and let go of it. Feeling the psychic energy fade away, she felt no other thing, not even ashes of the symbiote. Not that it mattered, it was gone now, and that was the important thing. When she opened her eyes, Ava found herself having her arms wrapped around Peter. It almost looked like she had locked herself around Peter like a little koala bear. To her defense, it had been necessary. Or else the symbiote could have escaped while Ava had tried electrocute and burn it, and that would just have been a waste of energy.

”Ava, it’s okay, I'm me now,” Peter’s familiar voice echoed in her head distantly.

”Ava?”

She tried to move her arms as Peter rolled off her, but her body felt like jelly. There was no way she would be able to move in her state. Ava didn't want to feel like a damsel in distress, especially not when Peter was himself again. And she was overjoyed. Even if the symbiote had only been with him a week, it had scared the crap out of them. Its corruptive force was too scary to not be taken seriously.

”Sorry, I'm down for the moment, I’ve just used up most of my juice— Really?” Ava whimpered as her headache took form in her skull.  
Along with the fact that she was still sore from the bullet. She felt like beaten up jelly. Boneless and crushed. At least physically, she felt great mentally.

”It’s my headache again, I just— I just have to get some pills from Helen.”

”Hey, I can, um, help you up, if it’s okay for you,” Peter offered and held out a hand for her.

Ava smiled slightly and mustered up enough strength to grab Peter’s hand. From there, he easily pulled her up from the floor like a rag doll. Getting up on her feet was another story. Her legs felt like they had been liquefied and wobbled. At least she hadn't passed out. 

”Thanks, how are you feeling?” Ava wondered and looked right into his eyes.

His eyes were warm and brown, as usual. No strange darkness that made her flesh creep. Good, the symbiote must have been completely eradicated then. It was also then she remembered that it had been his clothes. And now when it was gone, he lacked clothes and was almost naked, excluding the underwear. If it hadn't been for the fact that she had seen Peter without a shirt numerous times, she’d have blushed. Being burned out helped a bit too.

”It feels like… It is like a huge weight has been lifted off me,” Peter began and smiled at her.

”Thank you, Ava. If it hadn't been for you, I would have been gone by now—”

”Yeah, sorry for interrupting this, but I'm going to leave now,” Selena interrupted and caused Ava to turn her head around startled.

She had almost forgotten that Tony and Selena were there with them. Being tired really gave her tunnel vision.

”Yeah, right,” Ava mumbled.

”Thanks for joining, even if it hadn't gone as planned.”

Selena shrugged as thick tendrils of Dark force swirled around her. A shudder went through Ava as she felt the effects of the element since it literally absorbed the warmth from her body.

”De nada. Ya sabes dónde encontrarme si necesitas ayuda,” Selena said before she disappeared in Dark force, leaving them with an aftertouch of her powers.

”Could have gone worse,” Tony muttered, his face still pale like a sheet.

”Pity we couldn't get a sample of it before you burned it all, imagine the suits—”  
”Dad, you should go to Pepper, you need it,” Ava told softly.

Tony cast a glance at Peter and her, before beginning to leave while muttering something about discussing Stark Industries (clear lie, but Peter was present). Ava turned to Peter and wrapped her arms around his body in a bone crushing hug. At least it felt like she did it, she was so damn weak for the moment.

”I’m so glad you're okay,” she mumbled into his chest as she felt his arms around her frame.

”If it hadn't worked, I don't know what I would have done—”

”Ava, it’s okay,” Peter told and began to rest his chin upon her head.

”You saved me, and I have literally no idea how to thank you for that.”

Ava chuckled slightly and simply enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms. It then hit her, she and Peter had never hugged before. Of course she had pondered over it a couple of times. Although she hadn't expected their first hug to be in the lab. The thing with removing an alien hadn't been what she had seen in her mind either. But she loved every moment, every heartbeat she could hear and feel in Peter’s chest.

”Well,” Ava began and freed herself carefully from the hug and cast a look at Peter’s clothes-less body.  
”We should go to my room, it’s much warmer there and I can look for clothes for you.”

Peter looked down upon himself and flushed slightly. Clearly he had not noticed it either.

”Right, um, sounds great,” he said and made Ava giggle.

”Clothes sound good.”


	24. Elephant

A half naked Peter in the Facility surely looked strange. Rhodey’s expression confirmed that. But he was silent about that. Probably to spare Peter.

”She’s still here?” he questioned as his eyes swept around the room.

”Selena? God no, she left as soon as she could, seemed quite bored,” Ava stated and shrugged.

Rhodey snorted amused. Why, she couldn't know.

”Eh, I think it’s her Devil may care thing,” he stated.

”She had it sixteen years ago. If Tony’s still the snarky shit like always, I’m not surprised she stayed the same.”

”You were there?” Ava questioned surprised.

But she didn't stay for answer. Instead she mumbled a small ’gotta go’ to Rhodey and looked at a half naked, awkward Peter. Rhodey shrugged understandingly as they went into her room. Much to her surprise, a small jar of pills had been placed on her nightstand with a small note beside it.

_Please stop almost dying, you give us heart attacks every other day_

_//Helen_

”I’ll try,” Ava mused and took her usual two while rummaging through her wardrobe.

Hopefully she could find his clothing size. Unfortunately, Ava did not. 

”Just wait here a few seconds, just gonna get you some clothes,” she said and hurried over to her father’s bedroom and began to dig after some clothes in his closet.

The amount of fancy was ridiculous, especially since he mostly wore his Black Sabbath shirt at home. But she assumed most of it was for the cameras and paparazzi. Luckily, she managed to find a t-shirt that read ”I’m Batman” and a pair of jeans. It was amusing that her father had a t-shirt with Batman. Tony always used to tell her that he was more badass billionaire than Batman. He did have the cooler suit, though.

”I think these will fit,” Ava stated as she came back and handed Peter the clothes before falling down in her bed.

She was a bit cold after Selena and the symbiote, so she began to rub her hands together to create some heat in her hands. Depleting most of her psychic energy made her unable to be extra warm. Then she looked at Peter, who was halfway through putting on clothes, and averted her eyes. Even if Ava had seen Peter without a shirt before, it felt rude to full-on stare at him.

”God, you must freeze so much,” Ava mumbled and forced out some energy in hands.

”You were literally in only underwear in a room where Selena was in. It doesn't hurt with the fact that the lab almost always is cold.”

But to her surprise, Peter was hot. Almost scarily warm. Maybe something with his enhanced metabolism after his spider bite.

”You know,” Ava began after Peter sat down in the bed beside her,”you can crash here if you want. Tony has already called May and said that we are studying and you will probably fall asleep in your book.”

Peter nodded slightly while looking a bit confused to Ava’s amusement. 

”You know what? I’m starving,” Ava announced.

”I think we have some leftover food in the kitchen. Or we can order some takeaway, if you rather want that.”

”No, leftovers sound great,” Peter hastily said and glanced at the door shyly. 

”Do you think it’s okay with your dad and the uh… Avengers?”

Ava tilted her head slightly, before she understood what he meant.

”Yeah, I'm positive,” Ava assured him.

”Vision doesn't even eat, Rhodey has already eaten at this time. Dad and Pepper are probably already at that fancy party in India, or just at Burger King. Plus, the leftovers are mostly there for me. Vamos.”

It felt strange being in the Facility with Peter, Ava admitted that as they walked to the kitchen. Mostly because it had never happened before. And certainly not like this. Knowing about his identity, getting shot, the zit, the symbiote, Selena, the symbiote again. A lot of things had happened in just a few hours. But strange and normal, those two sides had become to blur for her. Heck, they had always been blurred, really. Just _how_ blurred was really her life in a nutshell.

The look on Peter’s face when Ava opened the fridge was hilarious. Stacks of boxes were crammed into the large fridge, filled with every kinds of food. To be honest, it did look ridiculous.

”You know, when Aunt May or I talk about leftovers, it’s usually like a box or two,” Peter stated and made Ava grin.

”There’s no way all of that is leftovers.”

”Well, that’s true,” Ava began as she rummaged through the fridge.

”Some of it is cooked without being leftovers. Otherwise some of them are actual leftovers. Of course we all eat from this fridge, but mostly me. Using psychic energy does burn a lot of energy too. You should have seen me during the first weeks after my Terrigenesis.”

Even before she had become Strike, just being a fully fledged Inhuman had drained her. Her body naturally produced psionic energy even if she didn't use it. Some of it became extra body warmth, but most was for Strike. And it had been a true pain at first. Almost constantly being hungry, even after she had eaten a meal. Nights waking up starving and pillaging the fridge. After another Inhuman test, they had found out about her increased metabolism. That of course ended with an extra fridge with lots of food. Especially when she had become Strike.

”Same, after I got bitten, my metabolism went through the roof,” Peter told as Ava picked one box with rice with curry, and another with French potato salad.

Why that combination, she couldn't understand herself.

”I eat almost everything that is set in front of me. You should have seen Aunt May’s face when I ate almost the entire the meatloaf by myself.”

Ava chuckled before setting down the two boxes and scooped over the curry onto a large plate. 

”Pick your poisons. Seriously, take whatever and how much you want. Microwave is right here” she said and pointed,”and microwave a la Ava está aquí. Don't trust me too much with the food though. I have burned it before, it might happen again.”

Ava cracked her knuckles (for a dramatic purpose, of course) before summoning some energy into her hands. Thereafter she formed a blue dome over her plate and quickly began to heat up the food. Luckily, she managed to make it warm bur not too hot. There had been one time when her dad had asked her to warm his cold coffee, only to almost scald his tongue.

”That’s awesome,” Peter told as he put down his plate of food while Ava dumped the potato salad onto her now warm plate.

”Could you uh, heat mine too?”

”Yeah, but I have warned you,” Ava said and winked before doing the exact same thing.  
Except with some more focus than with her own, of course. She definitely didn't want to burn his food. 

”Bon appétit, monsieur,” she joked as the energy dome faded away from the plate.

Instead she formed two disks and placed them below the plates before causing them to lift from the table. 

It wasn't telekinesis, not like Wanda. Wanda could levitate and tear a cube in half with her telekinetic powers. Ava would have to create a floating energy construction, place it below the cube to make it defy gravity. Then she would have to cut it in half with a dagger or something sharp.

”Let’s just put these in the dishwasher,” Ava said innocently and quickly shoved the boxes there.

Luckily, Tony wasn't there to complain at how bad she was a putting things in the dishwasher. How could you even be bad at it? 

”You sure about levitating those plates?” Peter asked wearily as he walked undeniably close to them.

”I mean, you almost passed out half an hour ago.”  
Ava stopped and glanced at the two plates. Much to her surprise, the disks and the plates had begun to wobble. _Damn you, Stark_ , she cursed.

”Yeah, um, probably a good idea to take them,” she admitted and took her plate.

After casting a glance at Peter taking his plate, she let go of the energy while putting energy stamina on her mental list of training.

”You wanna watch a movie? Series? Are you an Orange Is the New Black or a Game of Thrones person?” Ava wondered and pierced a piece of chicken with her fork.

”Um, I've actually not seen the latest episode of Thrones,” Peter admitted.

”Been a bit behind since I've been out so many times and haven't got the time.”

A big grin spread over Ava’s face as she quickly clicked on HBO and then Game of Thrones. The big problem was to balance the plate on her laps while still shoving food into her mouth. That barely worked.

”God, that episode is something else,” Ava said while fondly remembering her dad laughing at her reactions.

Especially when it was confirmed. That had made her almost celebrate. But of course she did not. Except some fireworks made of energy in the living room. That didn't count, though.

”Wait _what_?” Peter exclaimed as the credits rolled, the plates empty and put in the dishwasher.

”Nononono, they can’t just leave with that! The freaking sept scene! And I thought that the dog scene had been crazy, but that was beyond insane! When was season 7 airing now again?”

Ava laughed at his adorable reaction while feeling a small itch in her arms. She wanted to hug him so badly. Or kiss him. But it would be sort of weird. At least whenever she remembered the bad end of the date and the day after. And their _kiss_. Maybe she should bring it up soon. Talk about the elephant before doing anything else. The hug a couple hours ago had been because of the symbiote. It had been a friend saving a friend from an evil alien. It hadn't been romantic, it had been of gratitude and friendship, nothing else.

”Well, later than usual, I think it was July 16,” Ava said and caused Peter to groan disappointed.

”Although… I want to see the DC movie. You know, Batman v Superman. I haven't seen it yet, actually. But I really want to put on my pajamas before, these pants itch.”

With a small nod from a still stunned Peter, she pulled up her pajama shorts and t-shirt from the bed and hurried to the bathroom. While she was at it, Ava fixed most of the night stuff before looking at her reflection in the mirror. A bit pale still, but probably better than when she had fried the symbiote.

”There’s a toothbrush in there, just so you know,” Ava told when she came back out with her hair loosely braided.

”But I don't think we have some pajamas, unfortunately. If you want to borrow another of dad’s shirts, that’s fine.”

”Oh, uh, thanks,” Peter shyly said and hurried to the bathroom.  
While Peter was away, Ava began to look for the movie while her thoughts were spinning faster than the movies on the screen. Was it really a good idea to talk about the kiss, though? She just recently begun to really to talk to him again. Wouldn't her question make it all awkward again? Or if she would bring up that horrible slip up she had made last Saturday? With them sleeping next each very, _very_ close together. On the other hand, kill the elephant. Getting rid of all the awkwardness in one swoop. And then she could try to explain herself over that jealousy and Liz thing. She wasn't entirely sure if it would go smoothly. At least they could clear things up between them. That would be nice. At least they would be able to talk normally in school instead of being awkward.

”It would be fun to see it, I've never seen this one either,” Peter told when he came back from the bathroom.

Much to her amusement, his hair seemed a bit damp. That probably indicated that he had been styling it slightly, which she could see when he sat down. His hair would look hilarious if he would fall asleep with it still wet.

”Yeah, let’s see if he will bleed,” Ava said and smirked at her own joke as she clicked on the movie.

Honestly, the movie did mess with her a bit. Because it oddly reminded her a bit of the Steve thing. Thankfully, no one had died during their little clash. Rhodey was paralyzed, but he was alive, fortunately. 

”Can I ask you something?” Ava wondered as the credits rolled on the screen, her eyes beginning to sting a bit of tiredness.

”Yeah, sure,” Peter replied while she quickly stifled a yawn.

Talking about the elephant in the room while yawning would not be the ideal thing.

”I interrupted you last Wednesday, when you were about to talk about the date and my freak out,” Ava began.

”And now with the symbiote and our identities sorted, I think I'm ready to spill my guts over the Liz thing. The Liz thing was just… stupid. It was idiotic of me to bring up Liz in it. Even if you were not into her, I was a dick for mentioning her while being jealous. Liz is a great person, and if you _had_ liked her, I should have been more mature and respected that. For that I'm sorry.”

For the first seconds, Peter only looked at her with his eyes widening. And during those seconds, Ava immediately began to regret bringing it up. 

”The reason I lied about the homework thing was two things,” Peter began, making her tilt her head confused.

”The symbiote had latched onto me at that point, making everything so vibrant. But at the same time, it heightened it all too much. So when you asked me if I wanted to crash here, I really freaked out. But not in a bad way, more like ’Holy shit, I can’t believe it’ freaked out. And the day after it all, when you met me as Spidey. I—I don't know, I just forgot that I wasn't Peter. I know that it probably freaked you out. And I'm sorry about it, I really am.”

For a moment, the only thing Ava could do was to stare at him. His answer about the kiss had surprised her. After the symbiote reveal, she had just thought that it had been a one time thing that had happened because of the alien, nothing more. But the fact that he’d done it because he actually did like her shouldn't have been surprising. Not when she recalled everything at once. The stuttering, the blushing, that morning after he’d stitched her up. God, she felt so stupid.

”Well, that’s even better than I had expected,” she said with a shaky laugh.

”I just gotta ask one more thing, if that’s okay?”

”Yeah, of course, sure,” Peter replied.

”Why didn't you tell me that you were Spidey when you already knew about me?” Ava questioned.

That thought had been on her mind since she had found out about him knowing about. And that had been… at least six hours.

”Well, um,” Peter began and shifted slightly where he sat,”you know, I wasn't completely sure that it was you, could have been a coincidence and all that.”

How he even managed to recognize her zit was something she found both hilarious and slightly weird, but she would have been uncertain too if Ava had been in his shoes.

”And along with the fact that you're you, Ava Stark and all that, who's a freaking Inhuman. I mean, how cool isn't that? And I'm just Peter. Peter Parker. I just… I didn't believe that you would find me interesting, not as Spider-Man either. Your dad is Iron Man and the Avengers are literally your roommates. What is a guy like me compared to a freaking god or a super soldier?”

”Peter,” she whispered and shook her head slightly.

The fact that he though so lowly of himself… Wonderful Peter Parker whom she had befriended, the boy who had stitched her up without hesitating. The boy who she had laughed so much with during all those time during their homework. The sweetness radiating from Peter was something she had never experienced from anyone, ever. How could he even think badly of himself?

”Look, you are far more than you think of yourself,” Ava began slowly and smiled slightly.

”You could have chosen to tell everyone that you had super powers and gotten popular within a second. Even I have sometimes considered it, purely out of selfish reasons. But you didn’t. Instead you chose to use them for greater good, to help and save other people. I don’t care that you aren’t some Norse god or a super soldier from another time. You are Peter Parker, the dorky and super brave guy who is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.” 

Peter shook his head slightly, causing Ava to frown in confusion. The look in his eyes was something she could recognize too well. Pain, and guilt, two horrible feelings mixed into something gut wrenching.

”I’m selfish, Ava,” Peter whispered.

”God… I'm the reason my uncle is dead.”

Ava widened her eyes while still not understanding what he meant. He couldn't possibly have killed his uncle. Not only by the fact that Peter had loved and still loved his uncle, but also the fact that she had seen him around the time Ben had been murdered. In school, with everyone else. Then how could he even say that he had done something like that?

”Peter, how could you possibly have killed your uncle?” Ava asked him carefully, her chest aching by the sight of him.

”You were in school with the rest of us, you haven't done anything—”

”You’re right, I didn't do anything. The reason I was in school so damn long that day… Is because I wanted punch Flash. Just one time, just so he would leave me alone and stop call me Penis Parker, stop him from harassing me because of who I am,” Peter began with his jaws clenched together, as if he tried to hold back everything he wanted to tell at the same time.

The fact that Flash had bullied Peter was something she already knew about. The amount of times she had wanted to blast him to bits were too many times to count. And ever since his uncle’s death, his bullying had been ”reduced” to taunting, even though she wished that Flash could slowly die in the Raft sometimes. But the fact that Flash had been so horrible to Peter because of him being trans… It was disgusting and horrifying what a person could do to another person because of them being themselves. She would call Liz and tell her, so she could break up with that rotten transphobic piece of shit immediately. 

”And because I almost chose to punch Flash in the face instead of using my powers to something good… Uncle Ben was mugged and shot. Because I didn't use my powers responsibly, like I should have,” Peter continued with his voice raw and his eyes glassy.

”He and Aunt May began to save money for testosterone the second I came out to them. Mr. Stark of course funded my surgery and all that but… For all my life, Uncle Ben protected me from the shit the world could be sometimes. And when he needed my help, my protection, I wasn't there for him. I may not have been behind the gun, but I could have stopped it from firing—”

Sobs made his body shake like leaf, the sounds tearing out of him were pure pain that made Ava cry too. Tears welled up in her eyes and she didn't bother wiping them away, the only thing she could focus on was the crying boy with too much on his shoulders.

”Peter, what Flash did to you is unforgivable,” Ava began and forced her voice to be as steady as possible when moving closer to him as she carefully pulled him into her arms.

”That you chose to not hit him after everything he's done… I can’t understand how painful it is to meet him every day. Please don't blame yourself for your uncle’s death. Even if you had chosen to be in the city, you might have not been there anyway—”

”I know,” Peter snapped, his body tensing under her arms.

”But I think about every scenario that day could have gone. That I could have punched Flash, shown my powers. But Uncle Ben would have died. Or I could have been trying to help. And accidentally seen him being mugged and saved him. Or maybe I would have helped people, but Ben still dying. You can’t understand. You don't have someone’s blood on your hands…”

”Peter, you know that I do,” Ava told him sadly, a memory of Gargan flashing before her eyes.

”But you're right, I can’t understand. What you have been through… I can’t— I can’t imagine my father dead. Even after everything, I can’t. And I certainly can’t imagine the guilt you feel. I'm not going to say that you have to get over his death. I just can’t stand that you put so much blame and pain on yourself, for something that isn't your fault.”

Peter looked up, right into her eyes. And Ava saw it all, the raw agony so clearly displayed in those beautiful brown eyes of his. She had seen similar pain before, but every time it was gut wrenching. It wasn't fair, not to him. Of all people on earth, _he_ had to suffer.

”But I can’t stop,” he whispered, his eyes red with tear streaks over his cheeks.

”Peter,” Ava continued slowly,”just because I say that you shouldn't feel this way, doesn't it mean it will disappear at once. And that’s okay. You’ll just have to learn how to let go of the guilt. It can take weeks, months, years, decades, maybe never. I just want you to know that I'm here.”

She knew that she wouldn't be able to heal his scars with the power of love. Anyone who believed that was a fool. But that didn't mean that she wouldn't support or help him. Because she would. And god help the poor sod who would get in her way.


	25. Have some empathy, please

By the time Ava woke up, rays of sunlight hit the floor and reflected right up in her eyes, much to her annoyance. With a small groan, she harshly shut her eyes and wiggled against Peter. Even if both of them were walking fireplaces, it just felt like extra cozy warmth for her. Considering the fact Peter was breathing slowly, she guessed that he was still sleeping. Not wanting to wake him, she continued to snooze lightly. Certainly not after what he’d told her yesterday. It still hurt in her chest by simply thinking about it. The amount of pain Peter had borne alone for months. That he still joked and goofed like before everything must take him so much energy. God, Ava wished that she hadn't been so damned thickheaded. If she hadn’t, Peter wouldn't have carried all of it alone. And then with that symbiote that had tried to take over his body. Having that thing messing with your brain’s chemicals mustn't have been easy.

Behind her, she could feel Peter stir slowly. She then felt how his arm pulled her body even closer to his, his lips touching the back of her head. Just feeling his body against her made her heart flutter like a bird. And now when they had voluntarily fallen asleep with (and on) each other, waking up spooning together would not or did feel awkward. Even better, they had basically both admitted that they liked each other, so agreeing about what their relationship status would be wouldn't be hard. After all, he already knew that she had feelings for him, and well, yesterday. Although, what she know began to think about was about their lives. How would they do know when they (both) knew about each other? Would they do super hero-ing together or separate like usual? Would Ava tell Ned about her identity since he already knew Peter’s? Even he hadn't straight out told her about Ned knowing, that little outburst during P.E and the whispering during the Cap clip made it now obvious.

”FRIDAY, what’s the time?” Ava asked softly to not accidentally wake Peter up.

_”It’s 8.30 am, Miss,”_ FRIDAY replied, the volume of her voice slightly muted, as if she was whispering.

God, she loved FRIDAY.

_”Your father wanted me to inform you that Mr. Parker now has a bag of clothes in the hallway. Do you want to call him?”_

”Nah, not now,” Ava told and yawned.

”Can you send a ’Ava is tired and almost sleeping, but she says thank you’-message to him?”  
_”Of course, Miss.”_

”You’re the best, FRIDAY,” she sleepily replied and waved away a small hologram alarm that appeared by her nightstand.

Normally during weekends, she liked to wake up earlier than most during the weekend. Either to do some Striking (Tony’s idea on the name, not hers) or to work out. She was more of a loner when it came to working out. But every rule had its exceptions. Sometimes she boxed with Happy, or with her dad. Sometimes she even worked out with one of the Avengers. Of course, they often did something extreme, like bench pressing a car or dragging trucks. But Steve and Nat had always accepted competing against her in plank or a wall sit. They had won every time, obviously. But Ava missed doing that, which was now impossible with the clash and the Accords. Now with Peter and her being aware of each other, maybe they could train together in the Facility? She knew Daredevil or that former ’dead’ Rand guy were also taking care of things. It was quite nice with lots of vigilantes nowadays. Then you knew that someone was always watching the city. 

But today was not a day she wanted to get up before 9 am. That Ten Rings attack and the whole symbiote business had been draining. Her brain felt a bit mushy. She deserved some extra sleep. And Peter was still sleeping, which she used as another excuse to not get up early. Yawning, Ava shut her eyes again.

 

Ava opened her eyes, and the first thing she felt was that her eyes were glowing. With a huff, she made it fade away. Then she turned over, her face facing Peter instead of the window. He must have rolled unto his back when they had both been sleeping. He looked peaceful, his eyelids fluttering slightly in his sleep. Ava smiled slightly before she curled up like a cat beside him. What the hell had that glowing been for? Perhaps it simply was a byproduct of her exhaustion from yesterday. Ava shook her head in annoyance and rose out of the bed to get a cuppa. Tony and Pepper were still in India, she knew that much. She had absolutely no idea where Rhodey was, but she spotted Vision sit in one of the chairs by the table. Whatever he did, he seemed to be very focused on it, since he didn't even notice her enter the kitchen. That was strange, Vision always greeted her with a ”Good morning, Ava,” but not this time. She didn't take it personally though, he seemed to be very into in whatever he was doing. While the water brewed and Ava filled the sieve with tea leaves, she felt something strange. A warmth that filled her with joy. If Ava hadn't known any better, she would have thought that she was with Peter and simply goofed around with him. But she couldn't understand that bittersweet that stung. There wasn't anything bittersweet between Ava and Peter. And she certainly did not feel any aching longing for him. He was literally sleeping in her bed. Why would she long for him then? From all of sudden, the sieve slipped from her fingers and fell down on the floor, causing Ava to snap out of the trance and sigh.

”Really?” she muttered as she stared at the leaves and went to fetch a small vacuum cleaner.

As she began to clean up the mess while muttering annoyed under her breath, Ava once again felt weird. The warm and bittersweet feelings were gone and were instead replaced with confusion and concern just as—

”Are you all right, Ava?” Vision asked, his voice laced with the slightest of concern.

”Yeah, I was just… I don't know, actually,” Ava admitted while wondering what the hell had happened.

There was no way that she actually had felt Vision’s emotions. Because one: Did Vision even have emotions? He was an android, after all. According to her father, his personality was a mix between his, Bruce’s, Ultron’s, JARVIS’s personalities and whatever the Mind Stone had added to the mix. He mostly behaved like JARVIS, but any real emotions? Was that even possible? 

And secondly, it was impossible Ava actually was an empath. She hadn't been it the last time her dad had checked her powers. Although, it did make sense, since Ava’s power was psychic energy. Psychic was related to the brain, like emotions. Perhaps it was like her being able to activate a body’s pain receptors without physically hurting. It had been cooler with telepathy, but this worked too.

”I’ve got this, no need to worry.”

Vision looked at her confused, but let it go and continued for whatever he’d done. As Ava again filled her sieve with tea, she again managed to register Vision’s emotions. This time she was prepared and didn’t zoom out. Like last time, warmth and longing. Almost like he was searching for something. Or _someone_ , Ava thought as she poured the hot water in a cup. Wanda was an international fugitive, after all. An international fugitive with telekinetic and telepathic (she always got the cool powers) abilities would be hard to find. But Vision was a living Siri with access to the Internet. Considering that Vision hadn't mentioned looking for Wanda to anyone, she guessed that he wasn't looking for her to lock her up. For a good reason, the Secretary would probably try to hack into Vision for treason then.

Casting one more look in Vision’s direction, Ava dumped the leaves in the compost and went back to her room. Peter was awake, groaning tiredly while stretching out his back.

”Morning, Petey,” Ava said and almost began to giggle at the nickname.

”You know, a mash of Peter and Spidey, get it?”

Even while tired, Peter looked at her while he seemed to be close to laughter or groaning while face palming. As he cracked a large grin, Ava couldn't help but notice how the sun shone through his hair and made it golden. Nor how messy and curly it was. God, she had to stop staring at him.

”Sure thing, Stiva,” Peter said, causing Ava to snort at the nickname amused.

”Let’s just call each other our names, I think.”

”Yeah, definitely,” Ava replied as she set down her cup on the nightstand.

”Want some breakfast? We have the kitchen for ourselves, almost. Although, Vision doesn't eat so…”

Peter blinked a few times, before he seemed to understand what she had said. God, she had to stop hype over every thing he did.

”Yeah, breakfast, sounds great,” Peter said and combed his hair with his fingers quickly.

As if that made any difference, Ava thought amused with a smile threatening to spread over her face. God, what the hell was wrong with her today? 

”I’m just gonna… Right, uh, I don't have any clothes.”

_”I do not mean to interrupt,”_ FRIDAY told, _”but Mr. Stark has_ made _sure that there is a bag of clothes for you in the hallway, Mr. Parker. I told Miss Stark about it, but since she later fell asleep, I was quite sure that she would forget about it. I mean no offense, Miss.”_

”Right, of course I did,” Ava muttered but smirked at her own forgetfulness.

To be honest, Ava wasn't even surprised. But she did find the way FRIDAY had said it hilarious. 

”Thanks, FRIDAY.”

She shouldn't be surprised that her father had bought Peter some new clothes and gotten them delivered into the hallway in a few hours. But she was. And Peter reacted like… any other normal person react.

”Did he just…?”

”Yeah,” Ava said and picked up the bag before she handed it to him.

”When we lived in Malibu, he often flew with the suit to buy pizza from his favorite pizza place here. He's very fond of that pizza.”

As Peter went to the bathroom to change, Ava opened the fridge and picked out a couple of eggs. She had to have her scrambled.

Ava almost jumped ten feet as a new emotion hit her from Vision, as he was still sitting by the table. It almost felt like that time she had seen her father again after him being taken hostage all those years ago. Something loved and lost being found. Seemed like he’d found her, Ava thought as she whisked together the eggs along with some cayenne and chili. 

It was a pity that they never had trained together. The only time (beside Leipzig) she and Wanda had displayed their abilities on the same time had been the day she had revealed them. And that had only been to once again test how they were compared to Wanda’s. Since they were the only ones with mumbo jumbo powers (Vision was close, but not there), Ava had never sparred against one like her. That Inhuman from last week didn't count since she had tried to kill Ava.

”Like eggs? There are more in the fridge if you want me to make a larger scrambled,” Ava offered as Peter came back from the bathroom.

God, she loved when he had an open button-up with a t-shirt under. The wet hair didn't hurt either. What the hell was wrong with her? It wasn't like they had had sex and this was the morning after thing.

”It’s okay, I'm more of a sandwich guy,” Peter told.

”I think the baguettes are there,” Ava told and pointed with the spatula,”and the other stuff is in the fridge. Cutting board is right beside me and knife is right there.” 

It was a bit weird, though. While she was scraped off scrambled eggs onto the plate, she could feel both Peter and Vision’s feelings. It wasn't like they merged together, though. Even if she couldn't hear the thoughts that explained every emotion, it wasn’t really necessary. Having those feelings displayed in front of you was like looking at a drawing without the outlines and only the colors. The colors didn't blend together, after all. (Or, she guessed they couldn’t.) You could still see the figure, but the thoughts didn't outline the emotions. A colorful cartoon without outlines, basically. Vision still seemed to celebrate for finding Wanda. And Peter was… colorful. Lots of colors, if she could describe it like that. Colorful and jittery, like hundreds of butterflies flying at once. Almost like—

Ava slapped herself mentally. God, she felt so mean for intruding their feelings. Not that she could control it (it was like trying to swim against a stream) but still. They had their rights to their private thoughts and feelings.

”Ava, you okay?” Peter wondered, making Ava snap out of her mind again, much to her annoyance.

She really had to practice that, especially on how to block out certain things.

”Yeah, I'm okay,” Ava said and smiled slightly.

”Just a bit tired, you know.”

 

”Oh shit, just realized something,” Ava said and grabbed her phone from the table while Jon Snow continued to know jack squat.

”I told MJ where we were going yesterday. And now with the Ten Rings thing— God, she has called a dozens of times.”

Peter widened his eyes as he began to search for his own phone while Ava called MJ. She just hoped that she hadn't begun to walk to the Facility.

_”Thank god, Ava! I’ve been trying to call you for ages!”_ MJ exclaimed, her voice laced with panic.

Luckily, it seemed to fade away with every word she spoke.

_”You are okay, right? When I heard about the terror attack in the mall, I freaked. Both Harry and I have been trying to call you and Peter— Is Peter okay? He is okay, right?”_

Ava glanced at Peter, who seemed to be talking to Ned. At some point, his mouth seemed to have lost connection to his brain. But he seemed to have his situation under control.

”We’re both fine, MJ, relax,” Ava assured her, trying to make her voice as calm as possible.

”Peter and I are literally watching Game of Thrones at my place. We’re both in one piece, you don't need to worry—”

_”You could have died, Ava! You both could have died.”_

Ava went quiet for a second when MJ said it. The fear laced in her voice, all that worry… She was right, Ava could have died yesterday. Hell, she definitely would have, if not for Peter. That fact that she had been inches from death made her feel nauseous for a moment.

”I’m okay, Mary Jane. Peter is okay too, I promise,” Ava said softly.

”Don’t worry, okay?”

_”I was just so worried that you were hurt,”_ she mumbled.

”I know you were, and I'm grateful for that,” Ava replied and smiled slightly, even though MJ couldn't see it.

_”Uh, look, Liz is throwing a party tonight,”_ MJ told uncertainly.

_”I get it if you guys are shaken, but she wanted to tell you that if you felt for it. And I’ve already told Ned about it, he is looking for his hat—”_

”Yeah, just gonna check with Peter, I’ll call you later, I promise,” Ava said, smiling slightly. 

”You’re the best, MJ.”

_”If only Mrs. Tate could see that,”_ she said sighed dramatically before she hung up.

Ava put down her phone just as Peter seemed to be ending his conversation with Ned.

”Yeah, it feels great to be rid of it, to be honest— No, Ned, I'm not gonna ask Mr. Stark or any other Avenger for an autograph!” Peter exclaimed exasperated and caused her to smirk.

”I can ask Ava if anything… Yeah, she knows about me. I’ll fill you in later, Ned. Yeah, it is awesome! Um, anyway, I think we’re going, I’ll ask her. I’ll call you later.”

Now when Ava thought about it, she hadn't noticed the excitement bubbling inside him before? Was she surprised? Yes, she should have seen it on him directly the second he set a foot in the Facility. On the other hand, she had been unconscious when that had happened.

”Someone sounded excited,” Ava commented amused and smirked.

”Yeah, Ned knows about me being Spider-Man,” Peter told her and chuckled shyly.

”I know, Tiger,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows at her confused, his eyes being somewhere else than on this physical plane. 

”How did you—” Peter began surprised before Ava interrupted him.

”You weren't so discreet on the P.E, I put two and two together when I found out about you,” she explained and grinned.

”You are very cute when you’re fanboying about the Avengers, though.”

Peter seemed to be very close to blushing, that was, until he looked at her strangely.

”Since when did you call me Tiger?” he asked.

Now it was Ava who began to blush. What that had come from, she had no idea, to be honest. It had just popped up in her head.

”Uh, since now,” Ava told quickly, leaning back in the sofa with her eyes on the TV.

”Oh, lovely, it’s the Red Wedding. God, I hated that scene. Not that it isn’t good but… you know, they all kinda, well, die.”

”True—” 

Peter stopped himself, looking slightly dizzy, much to her concern. Rising quickly, Ava took his hand carefully.

”Are you okay?” she asked concerned as he seemed to regain his posture.

”Yeah, I was just so used to the amount of T the symbiote gave me,” he explained, his face still slightly pale.

”Guess the anxiety got back when I got rid of it.”

”Do you need a new dose?” Ava wondered, making him nod.

”I think we have some in the lab. Give me a few seconds, see me in the bathroom closest to us.”

Rising up and half running to her dad’s personal lab, she began to rummage around the supplies. That he had vials of her blood lying around from the last test but no fresh testosterone was astounding. 

_Honestly, where the fuck is it?_ Ava thought annoyed, before finally managing to find a vial of it. Checking its freshness, she grabbed a clean syringe before leaving the lab.

”I think I got everything, did I?” Ava wondered, carefully setting down the supplies while Peter washed his hands.

”Yeah, you did,” he confirmed and sat down on stone bench in the corner, pushing up one of the legs on his sweatpants.

Fiddling with her hands slightly, she began to wonder if he didn’t want her to watch.

”Do you want me to wait outside, or…?” Ava asked, making him shake his head.

”No, it’s okay,” he told while disinfecting the skin.

”Let me just… Almost done, and… Done!”

Disposing the syringe in the little trash can Tony had labeled as ’Syringes’, he once again washed his hands. Ava watched the little dot of red disappearing, much to her astonishment.

”Super-healing must be nice,” she remarked, making him nod as he pulled down the fabric over his leg again.

”Yeah, or else the whole school would have freaked out,” he stated.

”Germany?”  
”Germany,” he confirmed as they sat down in the sofa again.

Despite only injecting himself a minute ago, he seemed to look better. Maybe his body quickly absorbed it, which explained the large dose. His metabolism was off the charts, after all. 

”So… uh, Liz’s party, you wanna go?”

Ava shrugged.

”Sure, if it’s okay for you,” she told, remembering the fact that her friend dated that homophobic piece of shit.

”Just so you remember, Liz is dating Flash, so he’ll probably be there too.”

Peter nodded, his hand carefully touching hers. She didn’t want to spy on his emotions, but she could detect some form of worry, which was also accompanied by determination. 

”I deal with him in the decathlon team,” he reminded her, smiling slightly.

”Surely him at a party won’t be worse.”

Ava nodded slightly, fixating on his eyes. A deep but warm brown, making her think of chocolate. And his hair, his goddamn hair, she just wanted to run her hands through it. 

”Can I kiss you?”

He widened his eyes, almost looking like a confused puppy. For a second, Ava felt herself redden. God, what if the whole situation would become awkward for her misinterpreting everything? But Peter nodded, before she, almost sluggishly, leaned in. It didn’t feel like that time in the Tower, this felt more… intimate. It felt more real. Maybe because there were just them, no symbiote in the way. Her hand in his hair, Ava lowered herself slowly in the sofa, with Peter laying upon her. His touch on her cheek was soft, almost like he was afraid that he’d hurt her. Their lips pulling apart, they looked at each other. Energy sparked inside her like electric butterflies, her mind clear and focusing on his sparkling eyes, his messy hair. Looking at each other, they burst out in giggles. Rolling off her, a large grin was across his face while Ava tried to get up.

”Hey, could you help someone get up?” she asked.

He barely seemed to put much strength in it, not when she almost flew up like a little doll. On the other hand, super strength.

”I guess this means that we’re together, I think?” Peter said.

”And it would be really nice to be your boyfriend.”

Ava smiled broadly, which surely must have her look like a maniac. But she pecked his cheek before looking into his eyes.

”It would be nice to be your girlfriend.”

She had never seen a smile as sweet as his.


	26. Silk

”What time was it again?” Ava wondered, brushing through her damp hair while having MJ on speaker.

_”Eh, most people will arrive around 9, but come whenever you feel for it,”_ she replied before silencing right as Ava cursed while getting her brush stuck in the hair.

_”You are violently brushing your wet hair right now, aren’t you?”_

”Uh…”

Ava cast a panicked glance at Peter, who wasn’t very helpful at all. In fact, he was hanging from the ceiling. Spiderweb and all. He honestly looked a spider. A very cute spider dressed in a button up with t-shirt and jeans.

_”That your hair isn’t stuck in that brush, scalp and all, is a miracle,”_ she muttered before sighing.

_”Anyway, you two are feeling okay? You aren’t saying that you two are fine to not make me worry, right?”_

”No, we didn’t get hurt, you can take Peter’s word on it too,” Ava stated, motioning for Peter to say it.

”Yeah, we weren’t hurt, Strike, Iron Man and Spider-Man showed up pretty quickly,” he lied, looking at Ava the entire time.

She guessed both of them were thinking the same thing; the gunshot. Even the bruises from the panic attack had faded. That was quite nice, since it otherwise would look like someone had tried to crush her ribcage.

_”Okay, thanks, Peter,”_ MJ said, immediately sounding more calm.

”So his word means more to you than mine?” Ava demanded and gasped dramatically.

_”Definitely, you called being almost killed by an Ultron bot a ’minor setback.’”_

”Wait, you did?” Peter exclaimed horrified while still having that small glint in his eyes.

Evil robots did have its charm.

”That was last year, no worry, I’m still here,” Ava protested, waving away his worry.

”But we’re almost done, see you at Liz’s place.”

_”Yeah, see you later.”_

Ending the call, Ava managed to free her hair from the brush. Scowling at the clump of hair in it, she set it away. Instead, she fingered combed through it, sending enough energy through her finger to dry it.

”And you say my powers are handy,” Peter said and snorted.

”You’re kinda like a fire bender.”

Ava stopped and turned around to look at Peter with her eyebrow raised.

”Yeah, minus the fact that I can’t bend real fire, or control real electricity,” she reminded him and shook her hair.

MJ was right, though, it was a miracle her hair wasn’t damaged. The amounts of times she had almost gotten it destroyed during her Strike-ing was more than she wanted to admit.

”It’s not like I can control a candle or do some whoosh with my hands and redirect a lightning bolt. I’m a fire bender as much as Joffrey is a Baratheon.”

Peter shrugged and landed gracefully on his feet. 

”You still got cool powers,” he repeated and glanced at the door.

”How are we going to get to Liz?”

Ava waved away his concern.

”Nothing we have to worry about,” she assured him and sat down by the mirror.

”But you are 100% sure you’re okay with this? We’re talking about Flash here, I don’t want you to subject yourself to something you’re not okay with.”

”Yes, I’m cool with it,” Peter said the third time, a small smile gracing his lips when he said it.

”In worst case scenario, we’ll have to pretend that Mr. Stark called to talk about something.”

Ava nodded slightly, applying some mascara while still keeping her focus on Peter. He didn’t seem to be feeling bad, or even uncertain. Now she thought about it even more, she began to realize why. Peter was already so used to Flash that he wasn’t really scared of him. Not like he’d been before. And Ava had been so damn blind to it all… It didn’t help with her coddling with him like he was a baby. If he had said that he was certain, then she shouldn’t have nagged. It was his choice, after all.

”I don’t think it will end up that way, though,” she stated and got up, taking one of his hands and held it between hers.

”You know, I could, perhaps, uh, accidentally trip and splash soda over him… Especially if he gets too much annoying, I can be subtle if I need to.”

Peter was quiet for a moment, before he began to grin like a manic. Ava definitely recognized that look. Her father constantly wore it in his lab.

”Soda is both hard to get out so…” he said before they made a quick bro fist, both of them grinning like mad scientists.

”So… How are we going to get to the party?”

Ava’s grin grew even more.

 

”You gotta be kidding,” Peter muttered as they stood in the garage, his eyes glued to the orange car.

”Yup,” Ava said as confirmation as she opened the door and got into the driver’s seat.

”Call Ned and tell him we’ll pick him up.”

As Peter himself sat down beside her, Ava picked up her phone and called her dad.

_”Tell me you haven’t blown up the Facility,”_ he said, in the midst of what she believed was some sort of party.

”No, I’m just going to say that I’m borrowing your car for Liz’s party,” she assured him.

”Don’t worry, FRIDAY’s driving.”  
With that, the engine roared to life as the car began to move. The look on Peter’s face was the look of a child in candy land.

_”Well, in that case, go for it,”_ he told.

_”We’ll be back tomorrow, kiddo.”_

”Yeah, bye,” Ava said before hanging up, the car already outside the boundaries of the Facility.

”Yeah, Ned, I’ll see you soon,” Peter almost squealed as he too hung up.

”This is so cool! Why hasn’t Mr. Stark used this more when driving you to school?”

”He likes to drive,”she merely replied, not knowing herself the reason why.

Every time they had gone away, he’d driven. Not even Happy, his chauffeur, had been allowed to drive him. Until recently, which Ava found a bit strange. It did though, feel relaxing to just lean back in the seat as the landscape shot past them, as they approached the more urban areas. 

”Just so you know, I’m gonna keep my persona from Ned,” Ava informed.

”Since MJ doesn’t know, it just feels kinda unfair, if that makes sense.”

Peter shrugged, not looking very upset over it.

”My plan was to keep my secret from everybody,” he admitted.

”Then Ned sat in my bedroom when I entered through the window.”  
Ava laughed slightly as the car swerved and FRIDAY informed her about heir destination. Ned was standing outside, his eyes widening as he watched them arrive.

”Awesome,” he exclaimed as Peter got out of the passenger’s seat to join Ned backseat.

Something Ava had nothing against, it would have been awkward and third wheel-y otherwise. 

”So… You know about Peter too, right?”

”Yeah,” Ava confirmed.

”It was kinda hard to not know when he a second disappeared and then Spider-Man appeared.”

Taking off again, this time to Liz, who lived a bit further away. Of course, that wasn’t a problem. Not when FRIDAY was driving and she could just kick back and relax while Peter was filling Ned in on what had happened. He did edit the story, though, much to Ava’s gratitude.

”Then the alien thing just began to melt off me before Mr. Stark sort of killed it,” Peter said while Ned looked at him with his mouth half open.

”Did you film it?” he asked.

”I get if you didn’t film it, but it would have been really awesome if you had filmed it.”

”Trust me, it didn’t look that cool,” Ava stated and kept a smirk from appearing on her face.

It would have been cool if they had filmed it, though. Horrifying too, but also would have looked a bit awesome.

”It mostly looked like a slug.”

Parking right outside Liz’s family’s property, they exited the car. Ava quickly noticed that not many people were present. Not that it was surprising, the time wasn’t even 9, and most would arrive later. 

”Nice house,” Peter mumbled as he and Ned slowly began to make their way to the door. 

Ava stayed a few moments, turning her head towards the orange car.

”FRIDAY, can you lock the car and keep it from being scratched?” Ava said.

”Dad will give me that disappointed dad-look, otherwise.”  
_”I wasn’t created yesterday, Miss Stark,”_ FRIDAY replied.

_”Don’t worry about the car, I’ll handle it._ ”

Ava smiled slightly, still missing JARVIS but definitely being fond of FRIDAY. Strangely enough, she reminded her of aunt Peg. Except the accent, that was. If it was deliberate or not, she couldn’t know. 

Going with both Peter and Ned, she knocked on the door before stepping back. Almost a second later, MJ opened up before she cracked a huge smile.

”Your hair is still on your head,” she said as she hugged Ava fiercely.

”But seriously, if you get another ’minor setback,’ I’m gonna tie you to your bed.”

”That’s very kinky of you,” Ava replied and winked as she got inside while MJ was talking to Peter (”Honestly, someone could crash a piano on her and she would call it annoying.”)

Getting to the kitchen, she found Liz stand with Sally and prepare the snacks. 

”Need some help?” Ava said, making them both turn their heads.

”So great you guys could come!” she exclaimed as both she and Sally almost suffocated her with the group hug.

”How are you feeling? When I heard about the mall and that you and Peter were there…” 

”Liz, it’s okay, none of us got hurt,” Ava assured her, her chest almost aching slightly as she said it.

Had to be psychological, because Helen was a great doctor. 

Sally nodded, looking at Ava with slight concern before smiling slightly.

”I’m just gonna get out and put the food on the table,” she announced, picking up two bags of chips on her way out.

”Be right back.”

Sally cast one last look at her, touching her shoulder gently before leaving Liz and her alone. Immediately, Ava began to help with whatever was missing. Including picking up the huge soda bottles. Because she was in no mood to get drunk. She had seen what it did to her father. Also, even if wanted to, she wasn’t even sure if she could get drunk.

”I broke up with Flash,” she announced, making Ava look up at her, eyes widened.

”Come again?”

”We bickered about the party,” Liz began, pushing her hair out of the way.

”Then he said some nasty stuff about Peter being trans. So I dumped him. And I didn’t let him to come.”  
Ava stared at her friend, her mouth almost open. Suddenly, the conversation wouldn’t be as awkward as she had feared.

”Huh, was just about to say that you should dump him, for that reason exactly,” she admitted, getting a small chuckle out of Liz.

”Yeah, I can’t believe I didn’t see what a jerk he is,” she said and shook her head.

”At least you have dumped him,” Ava pointed out, setting red cups on the table.

”Better late than never.”

Liz nodded, her hand on the fridge lingering before she actually opened it up.

”I guess,” she mumbled and handed Ava some more sodas.

Suddenly, Adrian showed up, knocking on the wall to get their attention. Turning around, Ava found both him and Doris dressed up for the night.

”Sup, Ava.”

”Sup, Adrian,” she replied and grinned at Liz’s father.

”I heard about the attack yesterday,” Doris said and looked at Ava with her eyes slightly widened.

”How are you feeling?”  
Ava shrugged as she put a chip in her mouth. She wouldn’t say not scary, but she hadn’t been in the thick of it. At least, she hadn’t as Ava.

”I’m okay, got out quite quickly,” she lied and smiled assuringly at the couple.

”Where are you two going?”

”Just a dinner, I was craving some Italian,” Doris explained and laughed slightly.

”We should go for the space-themed restaurant next time,” Adrian suggested.  
”Heard the food is out of this world, no atmosphere though.” 

While Liz was groaning disappointedly at her father, Ava couldn’t help but giggling like hell. She had a soft spot for dad jokes, unfortunately.

”Don’t break anything, please,” Doris pleaded with a small smirk playing at her lips as they began to leave.

”I’ll call you later.”

”Please don’t do that,” Liz said, making Ava raise her eyebrow confused. 

”I’ve always asked you to call me Liz.” 

”That’s my girl!” Adrian called out from the hallway.

Hearing the door close, Ava turned to look at Liz with a grin stretching across her face. Her friend simply scoffed amused and rolled her eyes, just as the first people seemed to have arrived. Turning off the lights in the kitchen, they left with drinks, snacks and cups in their hands, the music already booming in the house.

”Just wanna say this one more time,” Ava began and set the things where Sally had placed the rest,”your dad is awesome.”

”God no,” Liz said and snorted amused.

”Not when you’re stuck with dad jokes 24/7.”

She was halfway pouring a cup of soda for herself, when she looked at Liz with much horror and gasped.  
”That’s the best thing!” she exclaimed and helped herself a plate of snacks and pizza.

”Vamos.”

They quickly found Peter, Ned, MJ, Harry and Sally sit in the sofas, already holding red cups.

”So you started this party without us? Traitors,” Ava said before falling down in the sofa, right next to Peter.

Interlacing her fingers with his, she quickly glanced at Peter, who nodded slightly.

”Right, just wanted to tell you guys that we are dating now.”

She didn’t even get a reaction from them, not even a raised eyebrow. What she did hear was a chorus of:  
”Finally.”

Ava blinked confused before she looked at Peter again, who simply shrugged.

”What?”

MJ rolled her eyes at her, while Liz was grinning like a maniac. The two of them did not comfort Ava. 

”God, the two of you are so damn thick headed,” she said. 

”Like, ever since… You know what? I think it was back during the Sokovia Accords thing.”

”Definitely then,” Harry agreed and took a sip of his drink.

”Ned, you remember all those times Peter was oblivious as hell?”

”Ugh, yeah, I definitely do.”

Ned shook his head, his face and emotions told her he was close to laughter. 

”Was painful to watch.”

Looking at Peter’s exasperated face, Ava couldn’t help but laugh. If they thought that it had been awkward as Peter and Ava, then they should have seen them when he’d been Spidey. Because luckily, she hadn’t done anything awkward while she had been Strike. Not what she could remember at least.

”Hey!” Peter exclaimed and swatted Ned’s arm lightly.

”If it makes you feel better,” MJ began, stealing some of Ava’s chips,”this one over here wasn’t any better.”

”That MMA session with Peterson?” Sally continued. 

”Simply this week? You have nothing to be ashamed of, Peter. Trust me, Ava was worse.”

Ava raised her hands in defeat before she leaned forward to pick up her soda. Before her friends could humiliate her to death, she heard engines roar outside.

”Oh dear, it is like swarm of them outside,” she commented waving slightly with her cup.

”Now break it up, we look weird.”

As all of them rose in unison (including Ava herself) she sighed dramatically.

”Don’t move as a group, you’re not gazelles,” she complained.

Peter’s eyes widened slightly, before he began to grin at her reference.

”We’re not gonna French in the closet, right?”

Ava shrugged, a smirk playing at her lips playfully while Liz greeted the horde of people who’d arrived. 

”I mean, if you want to,” she said and winked.

”I’ve got some tips if you’d want that,” Sally chimed in, appearing beside Ava from nowhere.

”Not that I’ve looked very much, but, you know, just in case.” 

”Uh…”

Peter looked at her in horror, his eyes wide open while Ned was looking like he was trying to not hear. Instead, he turned and quickly began a conversation with Harry and MJ.

”We’ve got some ideas,” Ava said and snickered slightly at Sally’s offer.

”Come on, let’s mingle a bit.”

 

”Did you hear about that Swedish scientist’s work on spider silk?” Cindy Moon asked, hanging beside Ava at the refreshments.

”God, I wish we could work with that in school. I mean, the things you could do with the silk? Cancer therapy, cell regrowth… Do you think I would have to move to Sweden to work with that? Heard it’s quite cold there, and dark.”  
”That is mostly the northern parts of Sweden,” Ava corrected and bit into a slice of pizza.

”We went to the ice hotel once, so damn cold. Anyway, KTH is in Stockholm. From what I remember, it’s actually kind of nice there. Funny language, but their lingonberry jam was amazing.”

Cindy nodded eagerly, as if she mentally was making a budget for a trip there. Not that she was surprised, studying abroad was definitely not uncommon. Ava herself was wondering if she would follow in her father’s footsteps and attend the MIT. Or if she would try something else. Maybe both, her father had graduated young.

”Maybe I should try to learn the language,” she stated and cocked her head slightly.

”It can’t be that hard, only three extra letters. Korean though… that’s a whole other level.”

Ava nodded, just as someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, and found Sally stand with her phone high in the air.

”Can I steal her for a little bit?” Sally wondered.

Cindy simply shrugged and said something about going to ask Abe about something. Ava turned, only to have Sally’s phone almost up in her face.

”You have no idea how deep I’ve had to dig on the web,” she began and quickly showed Ava some random texts, only to stop at the name IGH.

”There was something about them creating things that could enhance a person’s senses and the whole thing. Kinda like Captain America, really. And since I had to do some light hacking—”Sally smiled sheepishly”—I think it’s the legit thing. Think about it. Wouldn’t it be super cool to have superpowers and be a superhero?”

Ava pressed her lips together before she was handed the phone. She quickly read some of the information, mostly for Sally’s sake. 

Ever since her father had revealed himself to be Iron Man… Or rather, ever since the New York incident, a lot of people had sought after superpowers. Lots of people had even tried to get superpowers, and instead ended up in permanent comas. And despite that IGH being very hidden, Ava doubted it would end very well if anyone would try to find out more about them. Union Allied was a very good example of that.

”It would be really cool to have superpowers,” Ava admitted and handed back the phone.

”And take it from someone who lives with enhanced people, getting superpowers isn’t easy. Most people who claim they can give you powers are frauds. They would take millions of bucks from you, only to put you in a permanent coma. The only real serum that could give you powers was Roger’s. But its creator died a long time ago.”

Of course, there were other ways to receive powers than super soldier serums. Wanda, her dead brother Pietro, Peter and Ava herself were examples. But Ava didn’t want Sally to get more into that. Not with whatever storm her father sometimes mentioned. If Sally would get into that shit and get hurt… No, it was better to disappoint her than put her in danger.

”Well, that sucks,” Sally muttered.

”Guess I’m going back to learning martial arts again, I could be black Black Widow.”

Ava grinned.

”Yeah, that would be awesome.”

Suddenly, she could hear a roaring engine outside. That of course, wasn’t surprising, people came and went here. But what did bring her attention was the feelings. Even if she had discovered her empathy this very day, detecting a strong opposite emotion compared to the rest of the environment was easy. And whoever was in that car was really, really pissed. When the person got closer, their ’colors’ got more defined, much to Ava’s dread.

”Fuck,” she muttered and began to look for Peter, wherever he was.

Carefully pushing through to find him, she quickly found MJ sit on Harry in the couch. Ava quickly pondered whether to interrupt or not. It wasn’t hard to decide.

”Have you seen Peter?”

”Uh…”  
MJ drew away and looked at her confused. Harry basically looked the same, his eyebrow high in the air. 

”I think he was gonna get some fresh air,” he eventually said and frowned concerned.

”What’s going on?”  
Ava cursed lowly and immediately rushed to the door. And when she opened it…

”Fucking great, Parker,” Flash cursed as he shoved his keys into his pocket.

”First you take my place in the decathlon team, which is fucking rude. Then Liz breaks up with me!”

”Flash, you are drunk,” Peter pleaded, backing away from him as he spoke.

The fear coming from him, when he had the strength to send Flash into the next century… It made her blood boil.

”Just go home, please.” 

Flash snorted and took a few steps towards him, his fist clenched. As if ready to punch him.

”Come on, Parker,” he taunted and pushed Peter.

”Show me that you have some balls, because you sure as hell don’t have those between your legs.”

Peter staggered slightly. If it was of surprise or of pretend, Ava wasn’t sure. But the fright in his eyes? Even without the empathy powers, she knew that he wanted to bolt.

”There is honestly something wrong with you,” Ava muttered and quickly joined Peter’s side.

She carefully touched his hand. Only that made her calm, the boiling feeling inside her subsiding slightly. What made her glance at Peter with a small lump in her throat, was the fact that he didn’t.

”Like Peter said, go home. I can almost feel the alcohol reeking from you.”

Flash narrowed his eyes, his gaze jumping from Peter to their hands touching. A maniacal grin spread over his face, much to Ava’s concern.

”Didn’t know you were a lesbian, Stark,” he called out.

”Or did you forget that little Penis Parker doesn’t have a dick?”

Ava set her jaws together, her eye beginning to twitch by his mere presence. She could feel a spark emerge from her skin. Maybe not strong enough to be eye-catching. But if someone would have looked at her hand… they would have seen a hair thin spark.

”Dick or no dick, he’s more of a man than you are, you spineless shit,” she hissed.

”Drop that transphobic attitude, no one likes it, _Eugene_.” 

”Or what?” 

Flash neared them again, the irritation and the confusion almost made Ava dizzy herself. She quickly made a quick mental note to avoid drunk people.

”Just leave this place,” Ava grumbled and sighed dramatically.

”Or I swear to g—”

Suddenly, the sound of skin hitting skin rang in her ears. For a second, she thought that Flash had punched her. She blinked to clear her vision. It was only a moment later, she realized what had happened. 

”Peter,” Ava whispered, her eyes set on his reddened cheek horrified.

”Why did you have to do that?…”

Her sweet Peter smiled slightly, his feelings jumbled but not upset in any way. 

”I guess I was faster than you,” he merely replied and shrugged.

Ava took a hold of his hand again, pressing her lips together in an apology. Then she let him go, and turned back to Flash. 

”Get-the-fuck-out,” Ava growled, the energy close to reach her eyes.

Maybe he didn’t see her energy that was raging inside her. But it seemed like he’d gotten the message. Flash began to back away slowly, his eyes widened as he began to stumble on his feet.

”Shit,” he muttered lowly, but loud enough for her to hear.

”Yeah, you could say that,” she said as he got into the car and drove away.

”He really shouldn’t drive while drunk.” 

Ava glanced at Peter, the redness already fading. But still, he had taken that hit for her. 

”Are you okay?” 

Peter nodded, slowly taking a hold of her hand. The jumbled emotions she’d felt seconds ago were gone. Now they were replaced with something else, a fragile softness. Ava couldn’t describe it any better than silk. 

”Yeah, cool, cool, cool, cool,” he rambled, making Ava raise her eyebrow at him.

”Seriously, are you okay?”

Peter sighed lowly, the silk inside him still present.

”Flash hasn’t been like this since… before Uncle Ben’s death,” he admitted.

”I just got reminded of that when he appeared. But I’m fine now, really.”

Ava nodded and set her hand on his cheek tenderly. She traced his jawline with her finger, softness and sharpness at the same time. Why did it always have to be Peter? Why couldn’t it ever be someone else? Preferably someone who was less kind.

”I’m so sorry for the shit you’ve gone through,” she whispered and pulled him into a hug.

She could feel him rest his chin on her head, his fingers interlaced in her hair. Ava relaxed in his embrace, her hands trembling ever so slightly.

”You’re not freezing, right?” Peter wondered concerned, probably noticing that she was shaking.

Ava shook her head, breathing in his scent while the music boomed behind them. Why did he always to think of others before him? 

”Pete, I literally emit extra warmth,” she said and chuckled slightly.

”It’s just you who is as hotter than me.”

”Well, that is debatable,” he replied, which made her roll her eyes.

”We should probably go inside, or MJ’s gonna tie you up.”

Ava smiled slightly as they began to head back in. Judging by the shouting, someone was having a drinking contest. Or beer pong, people loved beer pong. Especially people who tried to calculate the angle.

”Eh, being tied up isn’t the worst thing I’ve done,” she said, making him grin at her.

”’Being tied up isn’t the worst thing I’ve done,’ title of your sex tape,” he quipped.

A laughter bubbled up in her throat, which was quickly replaced the sound of music and chanting. Getting on her toes, she quickly gave him a peck.

”You’re such a dork.”


End file.
